Lumen Pro Caligo
by Firewraith
Summary: A new evil stirs, familiar faces return, love is born and trialed, friendships strain under the force of a war unlike any Gaea has ever seen...(vaguely AU. AH warning) Chapter 15 is up!
1. Chapter 1: Homecoming

Author's Notes: This is a story idea I've been meaning to actually get written for quite some time. It'll be chock full of love, angst, and war. Not sure what catagory that would be. o.o; The "vaguely AU" tag comes from the fact that Hitomi has her pendant at the start of this. ^^; Anyhoo, hope you enjoy! More will be on the way soon. And I must give fair warning~! The main romantic relationship in this story arc will be between Allen and Hitomi, so anyone who doesn't agree with that, I apologize, and would appreciate it if I don't get flamed for it. ^^; To each their own, right? ^^;;;  
  
Rating overall: PG-13 for language and violence(in later chapters).  
  
---  
  
She didn't understand. One moment she had been standing at one of the large windows in her room, gazing at the stars...and the next she found herself staring back at the Earth from somewhere far away from where she had stood.  
  
There was only one explanation, Hitomi Kanzaki then realized. She was on Gaea again.  
  
It had been three years since the war that had ravaged Fanelia, Asturia, all of Gaea, and her own heart. Three years since she had met those who would dramatically alter her life.  
  
After returning to Earth at that time, upon finding her dear friend Yukari thrust unwillingly into therapy to convince her that the dragon, the boy, and the pillars of light she had seen were not real, Hitomi had wisely decided not to speak of her adventures in the mystical world of Gaea. As time passed, her heart ached more and more to return...she hadn't realized that those she had left behind were so vitally important to her.  
  
It was on this night that her heart ached the most, that the tears came and she knew she couldn't stop them. The pendant she still constantly wore around her neck had glowed warmly in response to her tears this time, which she realized then had never happened before.  
  
And now she stood in a field of tall grasses, staring up at the Illusionary Moon while the wind gently rustled her now nearly shoulder-length honey-brown locks. She would be rather hard to recognize now, with the longer hair, the long green skirt and cream-colored sleeveless top she had chosen to wear on the particular summer day. Though she had grown out of her girlish young looks, her face still held that same gentleness it always had.  
  
Realizing the reality of her situation, a genuine smile graced her features. After three years, she was finally...home.  
  
Her first thought was to find out where exactly on Gaea she was, as she saw no distinguishable landmarks to guide her way. Her second thought was to find her old friends, hug them, and never let them go again.  
  
Her third thought questioned the faint rumbling sound she had suddenly picked up on. She turned around full circle and saw nothing, adding to her confusion. As the seconds passed, the rumbling grew louder, closer.  
  
With almost no warning, riders on horseback suddenly thundered around her, moving too quickly for her to be seen. She cried out, trying to dodge her way out of the heavy hooves that would almost certainly be her demise with one false step.  
  
"Stop!" she called, trying to be heard above the pounding against the ground, "Please stop!"  
  
Fortunately for her, one of the riders seemed to have heard her, and shouted out an order, slowing his magnificent stallion to a stop in front of her. The other riders, responding to his call, slowed and turned about, staying in place. Relieved, Hitomi let out a breath of air she had unconsiously held.  
  
"Little lady," came a smooth, masculine voice from atop the horse, "What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere by yourself, at night of all times? There's wolves about, you know."  
  
Hitomi blinked her large emerald eyes several times, surprised. She knew that voice. Looking up to the rider, she squinted against the light of the true and Illusionary moons to better make out his features.  
  
After a long moment, she finally resulted to saying his name with a questioning look, "Gaddeth?"  
  
The riders stirred uncomfortably as this unfamiliar girl before them spoke their leader's name; some moved towards her cautiously, giving her the opportunity to get nervous. Gaddeth put up his hand with a shake of his head, indicating them to stay in their places. "Little lady," he spoke again, eyebrow crooked quizzically, "Do I know you?"  
  
She couldn't help but smile now, broadly, just glad she had found someone she knew. "Gaddeth, it's me! Hitomi!" she proclaimed, eyes twinkling happily.  
  
He was surprised by the name, and leaned down slightly with a frown to inspect her closer. After a long moment, he leaned back, his expression easing into one of wonder. "Well, I'll be damned," he murmured, a smile growing on his lips, "It is you, Hitomi..."  
  
"It's been so long..." she murmured with an equal softness to her tone. A million questions blurred through her mind in a split second, and she had no idea which of any of them to ask. There was one he should know the answer to, she thought, remembering Gaddeth's close friendships. She looked back up to him with an unreadable expression, however still smiling, asking, "How is Allen?"  
  
His smile became a slightly mischievious grin, though she didn't notice. "He's been good, taking care of his little sister and all...I think he's a little lonely, though." Then, getting a sudden idea, he said, with his patented charming grin, "Would you like to visit him? Palas is not too far from here, and I can give you a lift."  
  
The sudden emotional battles that rushed through her went far too quickly for her to understand anything her heart was trying to tell her. But after a moment, she smiled, looked back up at Gaddeth, and said, "I'd love to."  
  
He offered his hand to her and she took it, allowing his to pull her up onto the saddle behind him. "Hold on, Hitomi, we'll be going fast." She nodded and held on tightly to him, just before the stallion took off from a sharp kick to its flank, the other riders following as a small speck of light began to become visible on the horizon. Hitomi smiled, and took in the sight of Asturia's capital city growing larger in her view by the moment.  
  
--- 


	2. Chapter 2: Nightlife

Summary: Hitomi has her second reunion of the night, but considering their past, will the meeting go well as planned?  
  
---  
  
The stars were beautiful and clear, all enveloping the sky, broken only by the light of the true and illusionary moons. Allen Schezar frowned slightly at the magnificent sight, it was still hard to look at the Mystic Moon without old feelings and memories overtaking him...the gentle emerald of her eyes, the softness of her skin, her hair, her lips...she hadn't been the most stunning girl who had ever walked the planet, but she had been beautiful nonetheless.  
  
"Allen?" came the soft, timid voice of his younger sister, Celena. He turned to face her, confused by her look of fright.  
  
"Celena? Are you all right?" he said in concern, taking a step towards the platinum-haired girl.  
  
"I..." She looked away, ashamed, "I had a bad dream. It was horrible, everyone was dying...now I'm scared..."  
  
He sighed softly and closed the distance between them, pulling his poor sister into his arms to try and soothe her fears. "There, there, Celena...everything's all right. There's nothing to be afraid of...I'm here."  
  
But as he held her, he frowned. Had he just seen a flash on the horizon?  
  
~~  
  
The gates of Asturia's capital city, Palas, passed by before Hitomi's eyes as Gaddeth rode his stallion through them at a brisk trot. She would be lying in saying she wasn't nervous; the exact opposite was true. The ride over had given her time to think...and get nervous. After all, the last time she had seen Allen was...  
  
(Hitomi, I love you...only you, Hitomi...)  
  
She realized that she had never truly returned the words, though she had felt them with every fiber of her being. She remembered that final awful battle that had taken place between Allen and Van...  
  
She didn't have any other choice but to say she was in love with Van. He would have killed Allen on the spot if she had said otherwise, or nothing at all...  
  
She remembered the pain in his beautiful azure eyes at those words, and how horrible she felt for being the one to cause him that pain. How she had wanted to scream to him that it wasn't true, that it wasn't the young boy-king who had her heart.  
  
And after these three years...did he still hate her for what she had done? That was the one thought that ran continuously through Hitomi's mind as Gaddeth rode up to a rather modest home, obviously Allen's, from the look in the Gaddeth's eyes. He dismounted and offered his hand to Hitomi to help her down, smiling up at her. She offered back a timid smile and took his hand, swinging her legs around to slide down from her perch.  
  
As he began to walk towards the front door of the small home, he felt a tremor in Hitomi's hand. He could understand her anxiety...after all, though he did like the girl in the end, he still held a bit of resentment towards her for hurting his best friend the way she had. Although, the way she was handling herself now, he knew just how awful she felt about it. He gave her a comforting smile and a light squeeze of her hand before releasing it from his. "Don't be afraid, little lady...he'll be thrilled to see you."  
  
"Will he?" she responded a bit sullenly, "Part of me thinks not..."  
  
"Trust me, Hitomi, as an old friend," he said, leading her up to the door.  
  
~~  
  
After finally calming Celena down enough to get her to go back to bed, Allen fell back into an armchair, his fatigue catching up to him. A sigh escaped his lips and his eyes closed, running a hand back through his long shimmering blonde tresses, his mind unwillingly drifting back to her...  
  
...When he heard a knock at the door.  
  
"...What..." he murmured, raising an eyebrow. Who would be here so late in the night? He rarely got visitors at all, much less at this hour. Confused, he stood and walked over, opening the door.  
  
To his surprise, he saw Gaddeth standing beside a girl with her head cast downward so he couldn't see her face. It was a confusing scene to come upon on his doorstep, and he looked to his old friend with a quizzical expression.  
  
"Good evening, Gaddeth," he finally said, eyebrow still crooked.  
  
"Evening, Allen...there's someone here I found outside the city in the fields, someone I think wants to say hello to you..." Gaddeth grinned slightly, looking down to the girl at his side, and speaking gently to her, "Go ahead, little lady."  
  
She took a step inside, taking another moment before finally lifting her face up to meet her eyes with his own. A nervous smile played across her features as she said the first thing that came to mind, "It's so good to see you again, Allen..."  
  
Allen's eyes widened when she spoke, when he looked into those beautiful emerald eyes he knew so well. A long moment passed where he simply looked at her, in shock and not sure what to think. "Hitomi..." he murmured. She could only nod slightly, her anxiety growing by each passing moment of his silence. Noticing this, Allen realized how rude he was being, and his expression eased into a smile. "It's wonderful to see you again as well, Hitomi..."  
  
Relief overwhelmed her, and she smiled broadly, rushing to him and wrapping her arms around his waist in a grateful and joyous embrace. He was surprised for a moment, then eased again and circled his arms gently around her, pulling her slightly closer with a smile.  
  
Gaddeth couldn't help but grin, leaning on the doorframe of the open door; it didn't seem like they even noticed his presence any longer. He had to admit, the picture before him was perfect, if not slightly mushy. He decided to take his leave then, deciding that the two would need time alone to catch up. Turning and walking back to his stallion, he mounted and started to ride away, that same grin still on his lips as Allen's home disappeared from his view.  
  
--- 


	3. Chapter 3: Evils Born and Reborn

Summary: Someone with evil intentions is watching in on the newly reunited friends...and she brings with her a familiar face.  
  
---  
  
"Fools."  
  
Sitting atop a building across the road from Allen's home was a young woman, looking to be in her early twenties. She was as white as new fallen snow, everything from her hair to her skin, to the angular, leathery wings that arced from her shoulder blades. A simple white dress draped her form, sleeveless and short, jagged slices cut from the back to allow the ivory appendages the room they needed to push from her body and move freely. The only hints of color from her entire being were her eyes, in a disturbingly bright shade of green; and her lips, red as blood.  
  
In the twin moonlight she seemed to glow, her neon gaze fixed still on the house she knew that girl occupied. That girl from the other world, the girl who could easily destroy her own plans for the future.  
  
"I'll destroy her before she realizes her own power," the woman muttered, clenching a fist tightly at her side, "She won't get in our way."  
  
"Let me take care of her," came a somewhat effeminate male voice from behind her as a figure stood up, silhouetted against the moonlight, "I owe nothing less to you, the demon Aquaria, to whom I owe my own existence..."  
  
Aquaria's blood-red lips curled into an amused smirk at the words of her newly resurrected soldier. His revival had not been easy, but her hellish powers had made short work of the process. "You're right," she spoke with a streak of coldness in her voice, "You owe me everything. Your allegiance, your life. You understand this, Dilandau Albatou...you are in my service, and will act as such."  
  
"Of course, Aquaria-sama," he said, the faintest trace of irritation in his tone. He had never taken well to being ordered around, but he understood well that just as quickly that Aquaria had given him life, she could take it away. Therefore, he would grudgingly accept his allegiance to her. Though he had to admit, the thought of brutally murdering the brat from the Illusionary Moon was an attractive one...  
  
"Soon enough, my dear soldier," the demon intoned smoothly, that smirk still present on her lips as she could sense his impatience for action, "Soon enough we'll be rid of her, and the world will be ours for the taking."  
  
~~  
  
Allen and Hitomi had spent several hours talking with each other, reminiscing as well as updating each other on everything that had happened in the past three years. She found it odd that every time the topic drifted to Van, Allen would quickly change it, but she didn't think much of it in the end.  
  
She was also slightly preoccupied by an odd, faint feeling of fear tickling the back of her mind. Allen noticed this and spoke up, "Hitomi, is there something wrong?"  
  
Hitomi took a moment, then smiled and shook her head, passing the feeling off as fatigue and slight disorientation. "No, nothing," she said, then stretching slightly in her seat, "Just tired, I suppose...we've been talking for a long time."  
  
His own expression eased into a smile as well, and he nodded. "We have," he confirmed, "It's very late, I've kept you awake too long...I apologize. We don't have any spare rooms, I'm afraid, but I insist you take mine." He stood, motioning towards one of the rooms in a small hallway to his left.  
  
She smiled again, shaking her head slightly as she stood from her seat. 'Always a gentleman,' she thought absently before speaking, "That's really not necessary...I don't mind sleeping on the couch."  
  
"I won't hear of it," he said with a slight smile, "You've come a long way, you should be comfortable. I'll take the couch."  
  
She almost laughed, realizing that he wouldn't relent, but she only smiled more. "All right, you win," she said with her amusement obvious in her voice, "I'll see you in the morning, then...good night, Allen."  
  
He nodded politely, but his azure eyes widened slightly in surprise as Hitomi moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. He gently returned the embrace, though he would be lying if he said it didn't make him slightly nervous. After all, the last time he had held her so close...  
  
"I'm glad I'm back," she murmured, pulling him from his thoughts. He couldn't help but smile at this, nodding slightly.  
  
"I'm glad you're back too, Hitomi."  
  
A moment later she pulled away from him and turned, blushing slightly from her own actions, before walking to the room Allen had pointed out to her. Closing the door behind her, she wasted no time crawling into the bed and curling up slightly with a yawn...she'd been more tired than she had thought.  
  
As her eyes slid close, a flash of an image passed before her mind's eye, almost too quickly to notice it. But now the sudden thought of who the pale woman with the skeletal wings and the frightening bright eyes was implanted on her conscious mind. However, being too tired to give her conscious mind too much energy, she allowed herself to fall into a peaceful slumber.  
  
~~  
  
Hovering at the window, a bright green gaze pierced through to stare at the form of the girl in the bed. "Enjoy your sleep, Hitomi Kanzaki of the Illusionary Moon...it'll be the last serene dream you'll have, I guarantee it." Looking to her soldier still standing on the building across the street, she gave a snap of her fingers, and the two disappeared without a trace, and none the wiser of their presence.  
  
---  
  
Author's Notes: I know, it's corny that I brought Dilandau back to life. XD But he'll serve his purposes, he's not only here because I love him. XD Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one will go up soon!  
  
--- 


	4. Chapter 4: The Menace Grows

Summary: Celena seems aware of things that Allen and Hitomi are oblivious to, and the demon Aquaria gives a flex of her true power...  
  
---  
  
"It wasn't a dream this time!"  
  
Hitomi slowly awoke to the sound of a young woman's voice, desperate, nearing hysterics.  
  
"It wasn't! I saw him! I saw him, Allen!"  
  
Confused, Hitomi sat up tiredly in the bed and rubbed her eyes before throwing her legs around the side and getting up. She walked to the door and opened it, then smiled on the familiar face before her.  
  
"Celena..." she said sleepily, "It's good to see you again!"  
  
For a moment, Celena's hysterics broke and she looked away from her brother to Hitomi, looking confused for a moment. "H...Hitomi?" she said slowly, her head tilting to the side, "You're here?"  
  
"Celena," Allen said with mild amusement at her sudden change in mood, "Don't be so rude...Hitomi is our guest."  
  
"But she..." Celena trailed off, looking even more confused before shaking her head slightly, "I knew you'd come. He's alive, you're back, this is the start of it all..."  
  
Both her brother and Hitomi were perplexed if not slightly disturbed by Celena's cryptic murmuring, sharing a glance before Hitomi spoke up again, "Who's alive? This is the start of what?"  
  
The platinum-haired girl cast her large azure eyes to Hitomi, with something akin to a mortal fear in their depths. "Dilandau is alive. This is the beginning of the end."  
  
~~  
  
Looking nothing if not bored, the demon Aquaria relaxed in a throne-like seat amid scrap metal, the remains of the floating fortress Vione. She toyed idly with a piece of her hair as her neon gaze followed the group of boys that she and Dilandau had collected to work for them.  
  
It was a trivial thing, really. Dilandau had said they would need an army, and she allowed him the freedom to create his own, should he desire. But it was needless, as he should have well realized...  
  
"Dilandau," she intoned smoothly, voice low and oddly musical, "Tell me again why you believe this necessary."  
  
"To instill fear, Aquaria-sama," he responded. At the same time, both of their gazes were drawn to the young boys, none any older than sixteen, and his garnet eyes narrowed as he could almost feel the demon's amusement growing.  
  
"Fear? Do explain to me how this ragtag team of little boys is going to strike fear into the hearts of men," she spoke, her smirk present on her voice, "There is no need for them. Send them away."  
  
Dilandau's eye twitched slightly from being mocked, which he had never tolerated well. Regardless, he held his tongue. "They could prove useful in the end...we already have their undying allegiance. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of a front line on the battlefield."  
  
Aquaria's smile grew worse, almost to the point of a sneer. "This won't be any normal war, my dear soldier...are you not aware of how truly powerful I am?" There was something deeply menacing in her tone, and the boys sensed it, growing fidgety in apprehension. She tilted her head slightly and pouted in a mock sympathy, a dangerous amusement sparking in her eyes as she spoke again, "I don't need them...they are of no use to me."  
  
With this, she raised a slender ivory hand, palm facing out towards the boys. Without so much as a word or blink of the eyes, a sphere of pure energy engulfed the group and glowed brightly, crackling over the sounds of the tortured screams being ripped from their throats.  
  
The energy dissipated and the bodies of the boys collapsed in a heap, blood streaming onto the cold metal floor as though it were water. Dilandau's eyes were wide in shock at this sight, and his horror deepened as the demon began to laugh, quietly, as though she had just heard a mildly amusing joke. This, Dilandau realized, was far more than he had bargained for.  
  
"Now then," Aquaria spoke, voice light and musical once again, "What are we going to do about that pesky little girl?"  
  
"Kanzaki? The one from the Mystic Moon?"  
  
"Of course her," she said in a light amusement, as though mildly berating him for being so blatant, "Although, the other girl seems to know you're alive. The one you were created from."  
  
Dilandau went silent at this, knowing exactly who Aquaria was speaking of.  
  
"Celena is her name?" Aquaria asked with a mock innocence, fully aware of how she was toying with her soldier.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Dilandau almost growled, a savage sound tapped from an anger deep within him, "We'll kill them all."  
  
"That we will, dearest Dilandau...that we will."  
  
~~  
  
Hitomi's eyes widened as flashes of images passed before her mind's eye. That same woman she had seen the night before, standing over a pile of burnt and bleeding bodies, amusement in her expression...  
  
"Hitomi?" Allen spoke, noticing the sudden drain of color from her face and immediately growing concerned, "Another of your visions...?"  
  
In her mind, she saw the impossible standing beside the demonic figure of the woman. "It can't be..." she whispered, as if trying to wish it away.  
  
"You see him too, don't you," Celena spoke quietly, sullenly, "I told you..."  
  
"Dilandau..."  
  
--- 


	5. Chapter 5: Tension and Misunderstanding

Summary: With Aquaria's threat eminent in Hitomi's mind, there is now another reunion to be made, but it may not be as joyous as her prior ones have been...  
  
Author's Notes: I have to make mention that I'm not really a big fan of Van(read as: I hate him with a fiery passion that consumes my very soul XD), and therefore I don't really have the means to present him in a good light...again, please no flames. ^^;;  
  
---  
  
"There must be something we can do!" Hitomi exclaimed, pacing nervously before the fireplace in the modest living room, thoughts absorbed in Dilandau's inexplicable return and the frightening apparition of the devil woman she had seen in her mind, whom she had not yet mentioned.  
  
"There's nothing," Celena said quietly, curled up in a chair in the corner of the room, looking scared and desolate. Hitomi felt sympathy for her - after all, the last time she had seen Dilandau was when she had been looking in a mirror...  
  
"Surely there's a way to explain all this...Hitomi, could it have been a false vision?" Allen questioned, not entirely certain what to think.  
  
"No," Hitomi replied with a shake of her head, "No, I'm certain it was real. And Celena has seen him as well...but there was something else, someone else I saw who I've never seen before...she frightened me..." Both Allen and Celena looked to Hitomi at this, curious, but at the same time apprehensive. "She wasn't like anything I've ever seen...pale as ivory, but with the brightest green eyes imaginable...and giant looming wings behind her! She frightened me so badly..."  
  
"A demon?" Celena asked timidly, seeming to shrink slightly into the chair.  
  
Allen crooked an eyebrow slightly, loosely connecting the demon Hitomi was describing to Dilandau's sudden reappearance. "Could she be behind all this?"  
  
"I don't know," Hitomi said, sitting down as if to collect herself better, "I don't think I even want to know...if she is what she appears to be, especially with Dilandau in her service, I'm sure it's nothing less than the total control of Gaea she's interested in...we can't do this alone!"  
  
There was a moment of silence as Allen instantly realized what she meant by this. No, they wouldn't be able to do it alone...but going for help could only mean one thing. "You mean for us to go to Fanelia for help..."  
  
Hitomi was slightly surprised by how dark Allen's tone was when he spoke those words, but she turned to face him with an imploring look nonetheless. "We have to...we have friends in Fanelia, who we can easily muster to fight. Van will be willing to help..."  
  
His expression seemed to turn from something dark into a sort of defeat, and he sighed lightly, realizing she was right. "Then we must go now...if all you've seen is going to come to pass, we've no time to spare." She nodded and stood, giving him a grateful smile that he returned, though only half-heartedly.  
  
Allen had his own reasons for not wanting anything to do with Fanelia...or rather, its king. How he had thrown around that word "love" so carelessly, as though it meant nothing to him. How once he had taken the throne of Fanelia, he forgot its meaning entirely, choosing to spend his nights with women of the city whose names he barely knew, each believing they had his heart, his whispered words of "love." And how Allen hated him for toying with Hitomi's heart in this same manner, for she had grown to care for him.  
  
And if not for that, the boy had become something of a tyrant. Many times, relations between Asturia and Fanelia had been at risk or compromised because of his uneasiness at peacetime. It had seemed that after Hitomi had gone back to the Mystic Moon, his underlying bloodlust that he had kept so well under wraps flared up, causing him to want to warmonger. Being unable to under certain treaties that had been signed when his father had still been king, capital punishment had "inexplicably" risen in the country. Beheadings, hangings, these were almost commonplace occurrences in these days. Fanelia had become known as the Bloodlands, under the rule of the savage King Van.  
  
"Allen?" The voice of his younger sister came gently, shaking him from his thoughts. She had stood as well, and walked over to look up into his eyes closer. "You won't leave me, will you?"  
  
She seemed so young and innocent right then, Allen couldn't help but smile slightly. "Of course not, Celena," he spoke softly, "You can come with us." This seemed to ease the younger girl's cares, and she smiled as well. A wave of horror broke over him as he thought suddenly of the consequences of this...one false move by any of them, and they could possibly find themselves on the chopping block. He could only hope that Van would remember his old friendships, and somehow, maybe become something of the man he had used to be. "I'll send word for Gaddeth," he continued, looking to Hitomi now, "It's a three-day ride to Fanelia from here; I'm afraid the Crusade has been out of service for some time. We'll go by horseback."  
  
~~  
  
Gaddeth had come swiftly when he was called for, bringing with him another of his finest stallions as well as his own. Hitomi and Celena, not knowing how to ride, each rode on the saddle of one of the men - Hitomi on Allen's saddle, and Celena on Gaddeth's. Gaddeth had cracked a joke that he promised not to feel up Allen's little sister, which broke the tension slightly and gave them a good laugh(though Celena had blushed rather deeply from it).  
  
Before Hitomi knew it, they were off, riding swiftly over the plains. She held onto Allen's waist to keep herself still, but couldn't deny that she enjoyed being this close to him...  
  
~Not now,~ her mind scolded her, ~You have more important things to think about.~  
  
~~  
  
The three nights it would take to ride by horse from Asturia to Fanelia had passed, and Hitomi began to see the familiar skyline coming into view. A wave of anxiety passed over her as they came closer, now both wondering why Allen had subtly refused to speak of Van, as well as how Van would react to seeing her again. Did he still have feelings for her? Had he forgotten her completely? What had he done that made Allen so uneasy to even hear his name? There was only one way to find out, she figured.  
  
Allen had equally grown silent, and Hitomi couldn't figure out if it was from a growing anxiety, or perhaps a growing anger. Trying to comfort him, she wrapped her arms more fully around his waist, hugging him from behind. She felt him take in a breath, and his muscles relaxed slightly as he released it, making her smile.  
  
Word had been sent ahead of their arrival, and at the gates to the capital city, several soldiers stood around their King, who had come out to greet them.  
  
Allen and Gaddeth dismounted from their steeds, and helped Hitomi and Celena down as well. Allen was the first to walk forward, forcing himself to keep an amiable expression on his face.  
  
"King Van," Allen spoke evenly, giving a polite bow to him.  
  
"Allen," Van responded with a nod, seeming almost amused at the bow, "What brings you to this great country with so little notice?"  
  
"I come with a request for aid," the blond-haired man answered, glancing slightly to his side as he knew Hitomi was behind him.  
  
Van's gaze was drawn in that direction and his crimson eyes came to rest on Hitomi. He crooked an eyebrow, and took a step forward, looking at her curiously. "And who are you?" he asked in such a tone that one would realize he did vaguely recognize her.  
  
"Van," Hitomi said, smiling as she walked forward, "It's me...Hitomi!"  
  
"Hitomi?" Van's expression changed into something akin to wonder, making him almost seem innocent. "Is it really you? After all this time?"  
  
"It's me," she confirmed happily, closing the distance to give her old friend a hug. Surely Allen was mistaken, she thought, whatever Van had done couldn't be so bad...  
  
~~  
  
Van had taken the group into the castle with a grand entrance, making sure that the attendants of the palace knew that they were to be treated as royalty. Hitomi explained to him her vision; the demon woman and Dilandau together, though she wasn't sure what it meant, she felt that they would need to be ready for something terrible.  
  
"I'll have the soldiers on guard," the king said with a nod, a spark of excitement in his eyes, as though he was glad for the opportunity to be back in action. "In the meantime, you're free to enjoy the castle. Your rooms have been prepared."  
  
"Thank you so much, Van," Hitomi said with a genuine smile, glad that he had agreed to help, and was being so kind to them. Her gaze was pulled to the window then, the golds and reds of sunset now faded to the inky indigo of the night, and she laughed a bit at this. "It's later than I thought it was...maybe we should get some rest."  
  
"By all means," Van said with a nod, "Rest well, my friends."  
  
Allen, Celena, and Gaddeth started walking down the hall, and just as Hitomi was about to follow them, she felt a hand lightly on her arm, holding her back. With a bit of surprise, she turned back to face the king. "Is something wrong, Van?"  
  
"You've become so beautiful, Hitomi," he said softly, something flickering in his eyes that she couldn't quite make out, but she grew a bit nervous from it.  
  
"Th-thank you," she stammered a bit, though smiled slightly through her mild discomfort.  
  
"I don't think I ever stopped loving you," he continued, voice lowered almost to a whisper, pulling her closer to him and leaning down, pressing his lips to hers.  
  
She was too shocked to move, or even think. But after a moment, she made a soft sound of protest and pulled away, shaking her head, leaving him with a quizzical expression. "I can't..." she murmured, unconsciously wiping her lips with the back of her hand.  
  
"You can't what?" Van asked, an eyebrow raising once again.  
  
Hitomi took in a breath, regretting how painful the words might be for him to hear. But she had to lay it out for him, for his own sake. "I can't love you. I'm sorry, Van...you're a wonderful friend to me, but I just can't love you. I'm sorry..."  
  
A moment of silence passed, and something almost like anger flickered across his features before he eased, smiling lightly. "It's all right," he spoke with a wave of his hand as if to brush it off, "No hard feelings, I understand."  
  
"This won't...hurt our friendship, will it?"  
  
"Never, Hitomi."  
  
~~  
  
In the shadows from further down the hall, Allen felt something inside him twist and break as Van kissed Hitomi. Unable to bear the sight, he turned away and kept walking until he reached his temporary room in the great palace.  
  
--- 


	6. Chapter 6: First Strike

Summary: The first conflict between good and evil tests the strength of bonds between friends, and enemies...  
  
---  
  
Hitomi crawled into her bed, still shaken from Van's kiss. She had hoped he didn't still have feelings for her...but now it would be all right, she thought. He understood...but then, what was that flicker of anger in his eyes that she had seen?  
  
"Poor sweet thing," came a velvety feminine voice from out of nowhere, and Hitomi shot bolt upright in her bed.  
  
"Who's there?" she called, trying her best to sound confident over her sudden fear.  
  
"You should be more careful with others' hearts, dear Hitomi," the voice continued, as the form of a woman began to materialize before her. She gasped and shrunk back; that was the woman from her vision! "You never know who you'll break," Aquaria finished with a dangerous smirk on her blood-red lips. "And don't you dare scream," she added with something almost like a light humor in her voice, "Or I'll kill you on the spot."  
  
"What do you want?" Hitomi asked with an audible tremor in her voice.  
  
Aquaria's smirk widened slightly, and she leaned in closer to the other girl. "Simple," she spoke matter-of-factly, "I want you to stay out of my way. I want you to go back to your own world and stay out of affairs that aren't your own." For a moment, the demon looked thoughtful, then she smiled, almost innocently as she continued, "Or I want you to die. Either way suits me fine."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I have my reasons." The demon chuckled then, a sound that sent shivers down the other girl's spine. "This city will be the first to fall. You and your worthless little friends can't do anything to stop me...don't play with fire," With this, Aquaria lifted an ivory finger, from which a small flame sprung to life, "You'll only get burned."  
  
Hitomi leapt from her bed as Aquaria's arm swung around, throwing an arc of fire across the exact spot she had the moment before occupied. The demon laughed delightedly at this, at Hitomi's horrified expression as the bed began to burn brightly, which then caught the curtains and began to spread slowly throughout the room.  
  
"You move quickly, little one," Aquaria spoke almost gently, "But do you move quickly enough to survive?"  
  
Before she had a chance to respond, she was grabbed from behind by a powerful arm, a hand clamping tightly over her mouth to prevent her from screaming. Hitomi, squirming to get away, suddenly caught sight of the reflection in the mirror, and was unable to keep back a cry of terror, which was muffled out by the hand over her mouth. Holding her, illuminated by the growing flames, was none other than Dilandau Albatou. On his face was a demented grin, and in the hand not covering her mouth laid a serrated dagger, one of the likes she'd never seen before. Using all her strength, she managed to struggle away from him and run out to her balcony. Eye wide in horror, she let out another cry, shaking her head as if to will the sight in front of her away.  
  
The city was on fire.  
  
"Don't you see?" Aquaria spoke calmly, as though speaking to a small child, "Don't you see that it's hopeless to stand up against us? You'll all die by our hands. You'd be better off if you left, and never returned." If she didn't already know better, she would have thought the demon was actually concerned for her.  
  
Acting entirely on her instincts, she bolted for the edge of the balcony that faced the next patio, the terrace of Allen's room. Dilandau started after her, but was held back by Aquaria's hand.  
  
"Later, Dilandau. She's of no concern now."  
  
Building up as much speed as she could, Hitomi jumped and pushed off of the balcony's rail with her feet, sending her soaring easily over the gap between them, and landed on the other terrace. She let out a breath and looked behind her, relieved that neither had followed. In fact, it seemed as though they were no longer there at all...  
  
She made quick work of waking Allen and the others, as the flames from her room were starting to creep out into the hallway. The castle was quickly evacuated, and any survivors from the city itself were collected by scout soldiers. It seemed only like minutes later that Hitomi was sitting on the cliff behind the city, looking down at the raging fires that reflected in the tears that had welled in her eyes.  
  
"Hitomi."  
  
She turned around at the sound of her name, and saw herself looking up at Van, whose expression she couldn't place. "I'm sorry," she whispered, though she wasn't entirely sure why she was apologizing.  
  
Van's expression didn't change. He looked down at her and took a step closer, which made her a bit nervous. "Did you see this? Did you see this before it happened?"  
  
"A vision...?" she asked quietly, more to herself than Van. It did seem odd, now that she thought of it, that she hadn't seen everything beforehand. "No," she said with a shake of her head, casting her watery emerald eyes up to him, "No, I didn't see anything..."  
  
He said nothing more, but waited a moment before turning around and walking back to where most of the people had collected. For some reason, his silence made her feel extraordinarily guilty - this could have been prevented if she had only seen it. The tears that had been threatening to fall since leaving the city behind now became unstoppable, and she pulled her knees to her chest, leaning her head against them as her body began to shake with silent sobs.  
  
After a moment, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder, and she looked up to find herself looking into Allen's eyes through tear-blurred vision. "Hitomi," he said very gently, trying to soothe her, "This wasn't your fault...it couldn't have been stopped."  
  
"Why did they come to me...?" she whispered, shaking her head slightly before leaning into him, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle embrace, seeking comfort. Though he seemed timid for a moment, he returned the motion and held her close, stroking her hair and murmuring soothing words to her. After a short while, her sobs began to ease.  
  
Unseen by both of them, Van glared sharply at the couple before turning his back once more.  
  
~~  
  
"I could have killed her."  
  
Dilandau finally spoke after a long while of silence, standing by Aquaria on a nearby hillside, close enough that they could survey the damage. He had seemed bitter for some time now, and it was evident in his voice.  
  
"But where's the fun in that?" Aquaria said in remarkable good humor, turning to look at Dilandau with an almost childish amusement in her eyes. "Think about it. Wherever the girl goes, she brings death and destruction with her. It won't be long before she's blamed for everything we're doing. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if sometime soon, the people themselves burn her at the stake as some sort of an attempt to appease the gods..." She laughed at this, as though finding the statement ironic. "It's almost sad...but soon enough they'll realize it."  
  
Despite his bitterness for not being able to kill the pesky brat himself, his curiousity was piqued by Aquaria's words. "Realize what?"  
  
A devilish grin spread across her lips as she looked from the city in flames to her soldier. "That I will soon be their god."  
  
--- 


	7. Chapter 7: The Curse of the Mystic Moon

Summary: The survivors of the fallen city have grown wary of the girl from the Mystic Moon, and wonder if maybe the curses are true after all...  
  
---  
  
It was nearing dawn when the survivors of Aquaria's attack finally reached safer, higher grounds. The flames that had engulfed the city were dying down now, only smoldering ashes with occasional flare-ups.  
  
Hitomi watched the spectacle through watery eyes - her heart ached terribly for the people of the city, for Van and his kingdom. Why had they come to her? She couldn't shake this question from her mind. Why was it so important to them that she stay out of the way? There was her gift of foresight(or curse, as she tended to think of it), of course...certainly that was it. But she hadn't seen their arrival...  
  
"Is that her?"  
  
She heard voices whispering behind her, and without turning to face them, she listened, only catching clips of what they were saying.  
  
"That's the girl from the Mystic Moon..."  
  
"Did she see?"  
  
"...see things before they happen..."  
  
"...cursed place she comes from..."  
  
"...she brought this upon us?"  
  
Hitomi suddenly felt very small and utterly aware of how awkwardly out of place she was. Uncomfortably, she turned around, and saw the stares she had been afraid would face her. Instinctively, she lowered her eyes and began to walk forward, quietly murmuring "excuse me"s and "I'm sorry"s and she made her way into and through the crowd. They parted for her, the whispered words continued, and she lowered her head further, feeling her cheeks burning from humiliation.  
  
"Hitomi?" This time it was Allen's voice, and she looked up, seeing him ahead of her. Grateful for the reprieve from the stares and whispers, she hurried forward to stand by his side.  
  
"Allen..." she spoke softly, looking up at him with her cheeks still reddened, "They...they think this is my fault."  
  
He frowned slightly, casting his azure eyes out to the crowd before looking back to Hitomi and resting a hand on her shoulder. "They're superstitious," he said gently, "And they're looking for a scapegoat they can blame for what's happened...it wasn't your fault."  
  
"I should have seen it..." she whispered, looking down once again, only to be surprised by a gentle touch on her chin, tilting her head back up to look into Allen's eyes.  
  
"You shouldn't lower your head so sadly, Hitomi," he continued in his gentle tone, smiling softly, "You're one of the bravest women I've ever had the honor of knowing...never allow their thoughtless words dampen your bright spirit."  
  
She felt her cheeks flare with heat again, this time from the sudden shyness that overtook her from his compliment. Despite it, she smiled for the first time since the whole ordeal had come to pass. "Allen...I..." she started, not entirely sure what she intended to say, but felt she had to say something.  
  
"Your attention, please!" Van's voice came loudly over the crowd, all of whom immediately silenced and turned to face him. "Until this city can be rebuilt, you will all have to disperse to other cities in this country. Rule of the country is temporarily being placed in the hands of the Royal Council during my leave...I will be gone until I get to the bottom of this, until those who dared to attack this land are brought to justice!"  
  
A chorus of cheers followed this, and Hitomi couldn't help but notice that at his last words, several heads had turned in her direction. She only looked away, not wanting to think about how they would bring her to "justice" if they had their way...  
  
Van approached a moment later, folding his arms across his chest as he spoke to Hitomi and Allen. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm going to personally see to it that this demon woman and Dilandau are taken down..."  
  
"You can't stop them," Hitomi said with a bit of surprise in her voice, eyes widening a bit from the thought of it. "Van...she's too powerful."  
  
"And what would you have me do, Hitomi?" he said with a slightly dangerous edge, "Let them destroy everything in their path in their hunt for you?"  
  
This startled both Hitomi and Allen, and Allen took a step forward, a bit of the anger he held for the king flaring up in his eyes. "Don't speak to her in that way, she had nothing to do with this."  
  
Van smirked lightly, looking up at Allen in a way that let on just how much he enjoyed bringing out that anger in him. "You're right, perhaps I spoke too soon. I apologize, Hitomi. It's just a curiosity that of all the people they could have come to in the night, you were the only one."  
  
"I know," she said, shaking her head slightly, "I don't understand why. I thought maybe it was because of my visions, but...I didn't have one this time. And if I hadn't gotten away, Dilandau would have killed me...what if it -is- me they're after?"  
  
"Then we will protect you at all costs, Hitomi," Allen responded quickly, not liking the thought.  
  
"Even at the cost of entire cities...?"  
  
~~  
  
After the city's people had finally dispersed, Gaddeth had brought the two steeds to them. "I'll look after the younger ones, Allen," he said with a nod, offering his stallion to Van and looking up to Allen, who was already mounted with Hitomi on the saddle behind him, "And I'll take good care of your sister."  
  
"Make sure you do," Allen said with a touch of sadness in his expression, "You're the only one she trusts as she does me..."  
  
"Don't worry any more about it. You guys go, and try to get this taken care of...I don't like the thought of demons running around...but don't go and get yourselves killed, either." Gaddeth finished, waving them off as Van mounted the stallion.  
  
With nothing further, the two steeds took off at a brisk gallop, back in the direction of Asturia. The only choice now was to ask Millerna for aid, which would be more difficult than asking Van had been, as their pasts together had been nothing if not strained.  
  
And Hitomi could only hope over any other hope than what she had said wasn't true, that it wasn't specifically her that the demon and Dilandau were after. She wasn't sure if she would be able to bear the burden of so many deaths on her shoulders alone...unconsciously pulling slightly closer to Allen, she tried to clear her mind as the stallions rode quickly into the rising sunlight.  
  
--- 


	8. Chapter 8: Another Vision

Summary: Hitomi, Allen and Van reach Asturia to meet up with the now Queen Millerna, and Hitomi has a vision so horrifying that she can't believe it's true...

Author's Notes: As with Van, I hate Millerna with a passion, and therefore don't really have the means to present -her- in a good light...^^;;; Then again, I always thought she had an underlying layer of evil...

---

"Hitomi? Wake up..."

With a soft, quizzical sound, Hitomi opened her emerald eyes groggily to find herself laying in Allen's arms. She blushed rather fiercely at this, and snapped fully awake.

"I was asleep?" was the only thing she could think to say.

Allen smiled, setting her down so she could stand while he and Van led the two stallions into a small stable. "You've been asleep almost since we reached the border of Asturia...we're here in Palas now."

"Does Princess Millerna know we're here?" she asked, feeling a slight uneasiness over the name.

"Princess?" Van said with a bit of surprise, then shook his head as if just remembering that Hitomi hadn't been present for the past three years, "No, Millerna is the Queen now."

This surprised Hitomi quite a bit, it didn't make sense. "What? How did that happen?"

"King Aston's illness finally caught up with him, about a year ago," Allen began, and looking like he didn't want to continue.

"But...then, wouldn't the crown have gone to Eries? She was the eldest..." Hitomi said, and instantly regretted doing so when she saw the pained look on Allen's face.

"No one's sure why, but Eries committed suicide only a few days after King Aston died. Leapt right off her balcony..." Van commented while tying the steed's reins to one of the posts within the stable. Hitomi gasped, a hand unconsciously covering her mouth in shock. "They think she couldn't handle the stress of being Queen so suddenly...so she left it on her little sister instead."

Allen's eyes narrowed at Van's words; the way he was talking, he made it seem as though Eries had been nothing but a coward. He knew there was something more behind it...Eries had been a dear friend to him, and he still sorely missed her. "What they think is not necessarily what happened," Allen said sharply, but still managing to keep his cool.

"Perhaps not," Van countered, "But we don't know for sure, do we?"

One would have had to have been blind to not seeing the growing tension between the two men, and Hitomi was becoming keenly aware of it. Trying to divert attention from it, she spoke up, "Maybe we should head to the castle...there's no time to lose."

Allen turned to look at Hitomi, and his expression eased slightly as he nodded. "You're right, Hitomi," he said with a considerably gentler tone, "Let's hurry up there. An audience with Queen Millerna has already been arranged."

~~

The three entered the great hall of Asturia's palace, being led directly to the throne room. Sitting regally in the center throne of the exquisitely decorated room was Millerna herself, crowned and wearing a gorgeous bejeweled midnight blue gown. She smiled amiably and gave a nod of recognition to them as they bowed politely, though her eyes remained on Hitomi for a moment longer than was strictly necessary. "Allen," she spoke, her violet eyes reverting to the blonde-haired man before her, "It's been so long...you hardly ever visit anymore."

"I've been busy, my Queen," he said, looking up at her in respect as he was addressed.

"I've heard...Van, I'm terribly sorry to hear about your city." she said, now looking to Van, who seemed to tense up slightly.

"Thank you, Queen Millerna," he said tightly, though not raising his head.

"And you, Hitomi," Millerna began, making all three of them look up in surprise. She had recognized her? "This must all be very difficult for you."

"It...it is," Hitomi confirmed quietly, looking away slightly.

Millerna smiled slightly, tilting her head just a bit when she spoke again, "Don't worry...trust in me as the Queen of this great country, and I promise all will be well."

There was something in Millerna's tone that made Hitomi wary, and she casted her emerald eyes back to look directly into the violet orbs that looked back at her calmly.

With no warning whatsoever, Hitomi's eyes widened and the color drained from her face as a vision overtook her. She didn't even hear Allen calling her name in surprise as she collapsed to the floor.

~~

_"Millerna," Eries said softly, voice choked by grief over their father's deathbed, which was empty now after three days of his death, "This is going to be a trying time for us..."_

_"I know," Millerna responded, with little to no emotion in her expression. Eries looked at her oddly through tear-blurred ocean blue eyes, and shook her head slightly, walking past her little sister._

_"I'm going to my room for a little while," the older Princess said over her shoulder as she left the room._

_When she reached the top of the long spiral staircase that led to her room in one of the towers, Eries paused when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs behind her. She opened the door to her room and walked inside, leaving it open for whoever might come._

_It didn't surprise her that it was her little sister who appeared in the doorway, and she gave a sad smile before walking out onto her balcony. Quietly, Millerna followed._

_"What are we going to do, sister?" Eries murmured, looking out to the sunset on the horizon._

_"About what?" Millerna asked, crooking an eyebrow at her older sister._

_She only shook her head slightly, another sad smile playing across her lips. "Never mind...I'll figure it out in the end. I just wasn't expecting the crown so early...perhaps I was too naive, too blind."_

_Millerna's eyes narrowed dangerously at the mention of the crown. "It should be mine..."_

_Surprised, Eries turned to face her sister. "What?"_

_"You were right, dear sister, you have been blind," Millerna said with the hints of a smile on her lips, "But to more things than you thought you were."_

_"What are you talking about, Millerna?" the older Princess asked, growing nervous from the way her little sister was acting, and unconsciously taking a step back towards the edge of the balcony._

_Millerna walked closer, so close that they were only millimeters apart. "The crown should be mine...it will be mine," she whispered into Eries' ear, "Give my regards to Father."_

_Before Eries could respond, or even move, she was shoved roughly by Millerna, too hard for her to stop herself when she hit the low rail. She screamed as she began to plummet to the ground below, and her last thought was spent in trying to understand this cruel betrayal... _)

~~

Hitomi screamed in her unconscious state, thrashing wildly in Allen's arms, as he had caught her when she collapsed.

"No!" she cried out, tears spilling from her closed eyes, "No!! It can't be real!!"

"Hitomi!" Allen called, trying to wake her from her half-waking nightmare, "Wake up! Hitomi!"

With a gasp, Hitomi snapped awake and sat bolt upright, looking around the room in near-panic, and only being able to stare in horror when her eyes landed on Millerna.

"Are you all right? Hitomi? What did you see?" Allen asked in concern, still holding her as she was trembling violently.

'No," she thought, 'It couldn't have been real...it couldn't have...' She shook her head slightly, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to try and calm herself somewhat. "It...it's all right," she finally resulted to saying, swallowing the lump in her throat, "I'm fine...I...I'm just tired."

"You didn't see anything?" Millerna asked, raising an eyebrow in a way that said she didn't believe her in the least.

Hitomi took another breath, not wanting to say what she had truly seen, and though she hated lying, she knew Millerna wouldn't be satisfied without an answer. "I saw...I saw the demon woman, and the full attack on Fanelia...I guess my vision was just...delayed..."

There was a moment of silence, and Hitomi wondered if that answer was enough, or if Millerna had seen clear through her. But just as she was beginning to grow nervous, Millerna spoke, "Perhaps you just need to rest, Hitomi...after all, you three have been under a lot of stress. Go with my servants, they will show you to your rooms. Tonight I'm holding a banquet in the memory of Fanelia; I insist you come. It might ease some of the pain."

Allen gave a polite bow again as he stood, helping Hitomi to her feet as well. "Thank you, my Queen," he said before turning and following the two servants who had been in attendance the whole time, who led them to the rooms where they could rest and get prepared for the great banquet that the Queen Millerna was throwing that evening.

---


	9. Chapter 9: Second Strike

Summary: As Hitomi questions her terrible vision, she becomes aware of another presence - an unwelcome addition to Queen Millerna's banquet...and the results are more than anyone bargained forÉ  
  
---  
  
The servants had attended to Hitomi's every need, including ones she hadn't known she had. They had given her a selection of beautiful dresses to wear that evening, but she was drawn to none of them, too disturbed by her earlier vision to even consider preparing herself for the banquet. She sat on the edge of the enormous bed, staring out onto the balcony...a balcony so similar to the other rooms of the castle...  
  
It couldn't have been real, she kept thinking to herself. How could Millerna ever be so cruel? Certainly, she and Millerna had never truly gotten along, but she had never before considered her to be malicious...  
  
Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard the knock at her door, but was able to respond enough to turn her head to the door and answer quietly, "Yes? Come in, it's open."  
  
The door opened, and there stood Allen, dressed sharply for the occasion in a white silk shirt beneath a midnight blue dress jacket, matching pants and a silk cravat in the same shade. She noted that most of his hair, save his bangs, was pulled back into a loose ponytail behind his neck; a rather flattering style for him, she thought. She managed a small smile, motioning him to come inside, and he did so.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked, concern still apparent in his eyes as he came closer.  
  
"I'm fine," she said almost too quickly, looking away from him, because she knew that he if anyone would be able to see she wasn't telling the truth.  
  
He knelt down beside the edge of the bed, gently taking one of her hands within his. "Please, Hitomi...tell me what plagues you. What did you see earlier?"  
  
So he had known that she had lied to Millerna...but how could she possibly tell him what the truth of her vision had been? It would hurt him terribly...feeling tears welling up in her eyes again, she closed them in an attempt to clamp them off. The soft sensation of a trail of heat down her cheek told her that the attempt hadn't been successful, and unconsciously she hung her head slightly.  
  
The touch of Allen's hand to her cheek surprised her, and her eyes opened, releasing the tears she had held behind her eyelids. He gently wiped them away, even more concerned now than he had been a moment ago. "Hitomi," he said softly, "Why do you cry?"  
  
"It couldn't have been real," she repeated what her mind had been saying since the horrid vision had overtaken her, "She couldn't have actually..." She trailed off, shaking her head slightly.  
  
"It's all right," Allen soothed, still gently wiping the tears that fell, "You can tell me, Hitomi..."  
  
Allen's gentle presence wore down the last defense she had, and she took in a shuddering breath before beginning to speak, "What I saw...was Millerna and Eries talking to each other after their father's death. Eries was heartbroken...she...she said she hadn't expected the crown so early. Millerna..." Tears began to choke Hitomi's voice as she recalled every horrible detail, "Millerna said it was she who deserved the crown, not Eries...and that she would have it...she pushed Eries off her balcony..." Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she threw her arms around Allen's shoulders before her and held on tightly as she cried harder.  
  
Allen was nothing if not shocked by what Hitomi had said, but had enough sense to return her embrace in an attempt to calm her. Was it possible? He couldn't fathom Millerna killing her own sister for the crown, but at the same time, Eries' death had been so inexplicable...it wouldn't have been at all like her to end her own life. Too confused by the whole situation to even attempt to sort it out, he just focused on Hitomi, and trying to ease her tears somehow. "Shh, shh..." he whispered, gently rubbing her back as he held her close, "Don't cry, everything will be all right..."  
  
Hitomi was beginning to compose herself once again, hating to appear so weak. "I'm sorry," she murmured, wiping her eyes as she leaned back a bit to look into his eyes, attempting a smile, "I'm getting all worked up over nothing...it couldn't have been real, it just couldn't have. It must have only been some kind of a waking nightmare...you know, like a daydream. I was tired, and upset from what happened in Fanelia...that must have been it," she continued, nodding to herself as if to try and affirm what she was saying, "Yes, that was all it was."  
  
Though he didn't look entirely convinced himself, Allen returned the smile, admiring her strength in the situation. About this time, he realized that his arms were still wrapped around her waist as he knelt at the bedside, her arms still looped about his shoulders, and he became keenly aware of just how close they were. His heart seemed to skip a beat when he looked deeply into the emerald depths of her eyes, mesmerized by her. He didn't quite understand it, no one had ever made him feel like this before, like a dumbstruck idiot who didn't know what he should do next.  
  
The way she was looking at him, he was beginning to wonder if his assumptions that her feelings laid with the king of Fanelia were correct...she was blushing, smile faded to a more serious expression, her soft lips parted as if to say something, though she couldn't find the words. Her eyes had misted over slightly to something incredibly gentle and vaguely longing as she gazed just as deeply into his own azure orbs. She was so beautiful...  
  
Acting on his instincts, he began to lean forward to meet her, his own lips parting slightly, eyes slowly closing as Hitomi's did the same, the rose in her cheeks flushing a deeper pink.  
  
"Lady Hitomi?" came a voice at the doorway, and the pair, pulled away from each other, surprised. Standing there was a pretty young servant of the castle, timidly playing with her apron. "I...I haven't interrupted anything have I? I'm so sorry..."  
  
Hitomi stood up, shaking her head a bit, still feeling the heat in her cheeks from the intense blush. "No, of course not," she said, smiling a bit, "Is there something I can do for you?"  
  
"Oh, no, no," the servant girl said with a little surprise at being asked such a thing, "I was sent to inform you that the banquet is beginning, and Queen Millerna would greatly appreciate your attendance."  
  
Hitomi flinched inwardly at the name, still unable to shake the vision of Eries' death. But regardless, she smiled and nodded briskly. "Of course, I'll be there as soon as I can...I just need to get ready."  
  
The younger girl smiled, pleased, before backing out of the doorway with a polite curtsey, saying as she went, "Thank you, Lady Hitomi."  
  
"I'll leave you to prepare yourself, Lady Hitomi," Allen spoke with a charming smile, obviously amused by the title she had been given, before walking for the door as well.  
  
Something tugged at her heart as he began to walk away, and before she could stop herself, she called his name, and he turned back around quizzically. For a moment, she said nothing, then chuckled a bit to herself as she shook her head, saying, "Funny, I've forgotten what I was going to say..."  
  
He smiled again, and said gently, "I'll see you at the banquet, Hitomi."  
  
~~  
  
It wasn't much later that Hitomi shyly graced the banquet hall with her presence, clad in a beautiful aqua-shaded dress trimmed with silver, with long flowing sleeves that cinched at the elbow, a modest square neckline, and the skirt cascading to the floor, gently swirling around her legs with every step. Both Allen and Van, who were already present, were taken aback by her beauty.  
  
"Hitomi," Allen began as he kneeled to kiss her hand, much to Van and Millerna's distaste, "You're absolutely beautiful this evening..."  
  
Hitomi blushed a bit at this, not quite used to such chivalry. But before she could answer, Millerna called to her, "Hitomi, I'm glad you've come. Why don't you come have a seat?" There was a very slight edge to her voice, and Hitomi only nodded in response as Allen stood and walked over as well. She took her seat between Millerna at the head of the table and Allen beside her, Van taking the seat just across from her. Millerna seemed to grow a bit frustrated as Hitomi sat down, glancing to Allen for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and took her seat, instantly raising her glass of vino. "To Fanelia," she said, bowing her head for a moment.  
  
"To Fanelia," came the chorus of replies from the others at the table, who all rose their glasses as well, and drank to the memory of the fallen city.  
  
Hitomi slowly took a sip of the maroon liquid, thinking absently to herself that it reminded her of velvet - sweet and very smooth. But something else seemed to be tickling the back of her mind, and she frowned from it.  
  
"Hitomi?" she heard Allen beside her, "Is something wrong?"  
  
The threat grew very suddenly in her mind, and she gasped while standing up abruptly, the glass in her hand dropping to the floor and shattering there.  
  
"What's going on?" Millerna asked, confused and even a bit frightened by Hitomi's odd behavior, "What's wrong?"  
  
"She's coming," Hitomi whispered, eyes wide in fright, "She's coming here..."  
  
"That demon woman?" Van almost growled, standing up as well, "Let her come, she'll be sorry for messing with me..."  
  
"No, we have to get everyone away from here! Quickly!" Hitomi called, taking a step backward on shaky legs. Allen stood up quickly and went to support her, afraid that she would collapse.  
  
"Where is she going to attack?" he asked gently.  
  
She only shook her head, looking to him in a way that said she had no idea where the strike would occur. But before she could verbally answer, another feminine voice, one that was now painfully familiar to Hitomi, lilted softly from no particular direction.  
  
"'Attack', hm? Oh, you make me out to be such a villain, Allen Schezar..."  
  
A blanket of uneasiness settled over the room, and Hitomi looked genuinely frightened. "What do you want!?" she cried out without thinking.  
  
This prompted a soft laugh, and this time it came from a more solid direction: directly above them. All present company turned their heads upward and gasped, seeing the ivory demon woman sitting casually on one of the curved arms of the gold chandelier above the table. She was smiling almost innocently, neon green eyes slowly scanning the room before resting on Hitomi.  
  
"What do I want?" she asked, chuckling softly again, "Well, that depends. Do you mean in the grand scheme of things, or at this moment?"  
  
"Who are you?" Millerna demanded, standing up from the table as she stared up at the unidentified woman, trying not to show the fear she felt as she looked upon the leathery white wings that protruded from her back.  
  
"If you insist on giving me a label, dear Queen," the demon replied in a somewhat bored fashion, "You may call me Aquaria. And as for you," She turned her gaze again to Hitomi, her smile growing slightly, "What I want right now should be obvious to you. Isn't it?"  
  
An unreadable expression passed across Hitomi's face then; it seemed a combination of horror, guilt, and sadness. Meekly, she responded, "It's me...isn't it..."  
  
"Very good, Hitomi," Aquaria said with a grin as Allen moved protectively in front of her, "You see, so long as you're alive, I really can't get done what needs to be done...but there's no rush, no rush. I'm not here to kill you."  
  
"Then why are you here?" Hitomi asked quietly, not sure she wanted to know the answer.  
  
Aquaria's grin grew worse, and she laughed softly once more. "Just to have my fun, dear girl." With these words, her neon eyes closed, and she clasped her hands in front of her. From within them, a light began to grow until it was almost blinding, before it shot out from her hands in a sphere that flashed through the room, the castle, and over the entire city before dissipating.  
  
For a moment, nothing happened, until the floor beneath them began to quake with such force that all those present were thrown to the ground, and the tiles of the great hall began to crack and shatter.  
  
"The castle is collapsing!!" a servant girl in the corner screamed, the same one who had tended to Hitomi earlier. Just one moment later, as if in a cruel irony, the ceiling in the corner of the room gave way and collapsed, crashing down upon and quickly burying the girl under the heavy stone.  
  
Hitomi was too horrified to scream, to think or move. Other parts of the ceiling were falling now, and through a daze she felt someone lifting her to her feet, clasping her hand tightly, and insisting they had to run. Blindly she ran, being led by the hand holding her own, and the next thing she realized, she was standing in the middle of a crowded street with terrified onlookers who watched the magnificent castle of Palas collapse fully under the weight of its damage. Her hand was still clasped with her rescuer's, and she turned slightly to look up at him.  
  
"Allen," she whispered, squeezing his hand slightly as though to affirm he was there, "I...I can't believe..." She couldn't finish the sentence before tears suddenly overwhelmed her and she began to sob, disbelieving and extraordinarily guilty for what had happened. For now she knew, it was she that Aquaria was after, and the blood of all those killed here and in Fanelia was on her hands.  
  
"It was her!!" a voice yelled from a short distance away, and Hitomi wiped her eyes in confusion to see a man she recognized from the banquet pointing frantically at her. "She brought this upon us!!"  
  
"No, I..." Hitomi began desperately before trailing off. There was nothing she could say in her defense. It was all her fault. "I'm sorry..." was all she could manage to whisper, hanging her head.  
  
"She did nothing!" she heard Allen call out as the crowd was becoming more inflamed, shouting words she couldn't make out, all of which sounding threatening. "This was no one's fault but the demon Aquaria's! Calm yourselves!"  
  
Before she could say anything more, she was grabbed by a powerful set of hands and wrenched away from Allen. She screamed his name in fright as she was drawn into the crowd, and she could only barely see that he was being held back from coming to her. Her hands were bound behind her back as she was shoved roughly from person to person, moving her toward some horrifying ultimate goal.  
  
Brutally she was forced up onto a platform and quickly bound to a pole that jutted up in the middle of it. Vaguely through the haze that had engulfed her mind, she saw men carrying piles of wood over to the platform and dropping them at her feet.  
  
"Burn her!" she heard several people calling from the crowd, "The curse of the Mystic Moon has doomed us all! Let us be rid of this unholy bringer of death!"  
  
Hitomi's mind swum helplessly; she was too scared and confused to even think straight. She was going to be burned at the stake, like a witch. No matter how she strained against her bonds, she couldn't move, and from some instinct deep within her heart she began to scream, begging for mercy.  
  
But still the wood piled higher, and through tear-blurred vision, Hitomi vaguely made out the flicker of a torch making its way through the crowd toward her.  
  
--- 


	10. Chapter 10: A Secret Revealed

Summary: A new friend makes her entrance, and possibly the greatest secret of all is revealed...  
  
---  
  
"Burn her! Rid ourselves of the cursed one!"  
  
Hitomi struggled against the bonds that held her fast to the rough wooden pole behind her in a futile attempt to free herself. Desperately, she cried out her innocence to the nameless faces before her, trying to make them understand that there was nothing she could have done to stop it, but they remained cold and unfeeling. She looked out into the crowd helplessly, seeing Allen further in, fighting as hard as he could to get to her, to no avail.  
  
A flickering torch was brought up onto the platform and thrust into the pile of wood surrounding her without much introduction. A cheer rose up from the crowd as the edge of the pile caught fire, and Hitomi seemed to lose all sense. She went completely slack against her bonds, though still being held up by them.  
  
Allen still pulled desperately against the hands that held him back, and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Millerna not too far away. "Millerna!" he called to her, his despair carried on his voice. She turned to look at him, though said nothing. "Millerna, stop this! You know she's innocent!"  
  
Her violet eyes flashed in distaste from his protectiveness of the cursed girl from the Mystic Moon, and she only turned back to watch the spectacle, not answering his pleas.  
  
A tremor of horror ran through him and settled in the pit of his stomach as he realized that Millerna was going to do nothing to help Hitomi. All he could do was struggle against his captors, trying somehow to reach her before it was too late.  
  
Hitomi's eyes had glazed over by this point; she could only barely sense the heat of the flames drawing nearer at first, before suddenly one of the flames licked up across her arm, and the searing pain brought her crashing back to reality with a scream. The crowd broke into cheers at this, and her senses began to waver again.  
  
Suddenly there was an unfamiliar sound, a sort of splitting thunk, and her bonds instantly unravelled from around her, and she managed to stumble a couple of steps forward before collapsing. The shock that coursed through the crowd was enough of a distraction for Allen to break free of his captors, and he bolted forward faster than he knew was possible, leaping through the caustic flames and scooping her form into his arms. Without taking even a moment to look behind him, Allen ran from the back of the platform down the empty street, quickly disappearing into twilight's shadows.  
  
The crowd had begun to dissipate, and a couple of the men were busy dousing the fire with water. They couldn't understand how the bonds had been cut, until one of them happened to glance around the back of the pole Hitomi had been tied to. Embedded into the wood was a small axe which, by its angle, only could have been thrown from the rooftop of one of the surrounding buildings.  
  
"Seems the girl has some friends around here after all," the man commented cynically, pulling the blade from the wood.  
  
~~  
  
Allen had saddled up his horse as quickly as he could, and wasted no time riding away from the city of Palas. He held Hitomi close in front of him, occasionally murmuring soothing words to her, though they did little to break through the sluggish veil that had been pulled over her senses. She was awake, though not conscious, and this worried Allen terribly.  
  
As the sun began to rise in the east, they rode slowly into one of the smaller towns in Asturia, where he was sure they would be safe for at least some time. Some of the older men and women were already out and about, and all of them paused to give the rider and his passenger an odd glance, as they weren't used to visitors from other towns.  
  
Slowly, as if to not draw any attention to themselves, Allen dismounted and carefully cradled Hitomi as he brought her down as well.  
  
"Excuse me," came a friendly voice, and Allen glanced to his side to see a middle-aged woman smiling at him. She was dressed plainly in a simple red smock and white apron, her dark brown hair now graying, the lines of worry and laughter becoming slightly apparent on her face, though eyes of brown as lively and sparkling as a young woman's. "You seem very tired, as does the young lady you bring with you...have you ridden all night, sir?"  
  
"I have," Allen confirmed, though choosing not to speak of from where and under what circumstances he had come from, "Please, ma'am, she's hurt..."  
  
The woman took a step forward, tilting her head at Hitomi, first at the burn on her arm, then at her face, and she nodded. "Of course, we'll take care of her," she said with genuine feeling, as she seemed to sense just how much this young lady meant to the man, "Follow me, I can treat her."  
  
She led them into a small cottage, into one of the bedrooms, and had Allen lay Hitomi on the bed. She went to a small cupboard and took out a few small vials, looking at the younger girl in sympathy. "What happened to her?"  
  
Allen was timid to tell the entire story, but he felt that this kind woman deserved to know at least part of it, and he spoke softly, "She was attacked...they tried to burn her at the stake..."  
  
This seemed to startle the woman terribly, almost to the point of her dropping the vials in her hands. "Who would do something so cruel, so evil? The poor thing..." She walked over to the side of the bed and sat in a chair beside it, opening one of the vials and pouring a small amount of some sort of salve into her hand. She murmured a few comforting words to Hitomi as she gently smoothed the salve into the ugly burn that ran up her arm.  
  
Hitomi didn't even flinch, it seemed as though she felt nothing at all. Her eyes were open, but several shades darker than their normal emerald, and this frightened Allen to no end.  
  
"Why are her eyes so darkened?" he asked the woman, his fear apparent in his voice, "It seems as though she's lost all her senses..."  
  
"That's as accurate as anything I could tell you," the woman admitted, closing the vial of salve and opening a second one, pouring its contents into a small cup on the nightstand beside the bed, and repeating this same action with the remaining vials. "It's something like a severe shock to her system, more mental and emotional than physical. I've seen it before, when people have suffered something traumatic..."  
  
"Will she be all right?"  
  
"Of course, she just needs a little time...and this," the woman then lifted the small cup and swished the contents slightly, which made the dark green concoction turn a brighter shade, "should help speed the process a bit. It's an herbal mixture, mostly with herbs to boost her memory and soothe her nerves...it should help cut through the cloud she's lost in." With that, she gently parted Hitomi's lips with her fingers and tipped the mixture into her mouth, then massaging downward on her throat to coax her into swallowing. After a moment, her body responded and she gave a hard swallow, taking the mixture down in one gulp.  
  
"I can't thank you enough for your kindness, ma'am," Allen said, suddenly looking a bit weary, as the recent events had finally taken their toll on him.  
  
The woman smiled and stood up, walking over and offering her hand to Allen, saying, "Please, call me Elmine." He took her hand and laid a gentle kiss on the backside, which seemed to surprise her quite a bit, and she chuckled a bit. "What a gentleman...and what is your name?"  
  
"Allen Schezar, ma...Elmine," he corrected himself.  
  
"And the girl?"  
  
"Hitomi Kanzaki."  
  
"She's a lucky girl," Elmine said with a touch of amusement, her mahogany eyes sparkling to reflect it. Before Allen could respond, Hitomi sat bolt upright in the bed with a gasp. In less than a second, he and Elmine were at her side, both asking if she was all right.  
  
"Atlantis," Hitomi said, color drained from her face as though she were having a vision, her eyes still veiled in darkness, "I have to...get there, as soon as possible!"  
  
Allen was very confused by this, and he frowned slightly, putting a hand on Hitomi's shoulder, "What?"  
  
With surprising speed, she scrambled from the bed and stumbled out of the bedroom into the main area of the small house before Allen caught up with her, gently taking her by the waist and turning her to face him again. Before he could speak, she let out a low hoarse cry and fell forward into his arms.  
  
At this exact moment, a pair of beautiful white wings burst from her back, tearing through her shirt as though it were thin as paper.  
  
Allen and Elmine were dumbstruck, completely speechless, just watching the white feathers gently falling in front of them. The only sound heard was now Hitomi's very gentle sobbing as she leaned completely slack against Allen's chest, only held up by his arms around her waist.  
  
"Saints preserve us," Elmine finally got the strength to murmur, a hand pressed over her heart, "An angel..."  
  
"No..." Allen managed to speak softly through his confusion, unable to raise his voice any higher than that from pure shock, "A Draconian..."  
  
Hitomi sniffled slightly, turning her face up to Allen's, saltwater streaming from her emerald eyes, which had regained their original shade. "I don't know what's happening to me..." she cried, voice cracking with tears, before she slipped into unconsciousness once more, her head falling back against Allen's chest. With this, the magnificent white wings retracted back into her with no trace of their presence at all.  
  
Despite the conflicting emotions running through his mind, Allen pulled her closer, holding her tighter against him. There was one thing and one thing only he was certain of now, and he leaned his head down to gently bury his face into her hair as Elmine rushed to go find the poor girl another shirt she could wear. He began to whisper, though knowing she couldn't hear him, he couldn't keep the words inside any longer.  
  
"No matter what happens, Hitomi Kanzaki, I will always love you...I love you..."  
  
--- 


	11. Chapter 11: Love is Born

Summary: A conversation between friends leads to more, and a new face appears at Elmine's door...  
  
---  
  
Hitomi lay sleeping fitfully in the bed of Elmine's bedroom once more, her torn-apart shirt replaced by one of Elmine's, despite it being a little big on her. It was late now, and Allen had not yet slept; he remained faithfully by Hitomi's side, too worried to even think about his own slumber.  
  
She was a Draconian. One of the Atlanteans. How was it possible? How had she not known...? Her pendant pulsed light in time with her heartbeat. Perhaps all the signs had been there and they had just been overlooked, he thought. The pendant, her strong connection with Escaflowne, how she seemed to be able to bend Fate itself to her will...  
  
"Such an odd reaction," he heard Elmine from the kitchen area, talking to herself as she was making tea to calm her own nerves as well as Allen's, "How did that happen? Draconians, gods..." After a moment, she walked into the room and handed the blonde-haired man a large mug filled with a particularly sweet-smelling tea. Gratefully, he drank from it, and looked up to her with a nod of silent thanks before looking back to Hitomi and placing his free hand gently on one of hers. Elmine smiled gently at this, her heart going out to the poor man...she placed a hand on his shoulder, softly saying, "She means a lot to you, doesn't she..."  
  
"More than I could ever explain," he responded, smiling just a bit as well, "I love her...more than I can say."  
  
"My herbs must have triggered some memory deep within her," Elmine began, feeling that he deserved at least some attempt at an explanation, even if she didn't understand it herself, "They were only meant to boost her recent memories to wake her mind up...but I think perhaps they worked too well, too deeply..." Nodding just a bit to herself, she quietly excused herself, intending to make more of the salve she had applied to Hitomi's burn.  
  
Hitomi began to stir, expression in one of fear as though she were having a nightmare. Frowning slightly, Allen set his tea aside and reached his hand up from her hand to gently stroke her cheek, trying in some way to soothe her. Suddenly she awoke, eyes opening wide and looking around for a moment before she sat upright.  
  
"Hitomi?" Allen asked gently, still not sure if she was entirely there, "Are you all right?"  
  
She took a moment to get her bearings, looking around the room and down at her own body before she bit her lip gently, seeming ashamed to look at him, and managing to ask, "Did it really happen? Or was it just a dream? Am I really a Draconian...?"  
  
He gently tilted her head back up, nodding slightly, "It was real...and we're just as confused as you are...but please, Hitomi, don't cast your eyes away so shamefully...do you think I'd think any less of you for this?"  
  
"Considering your past with Atlanteans...I don't know, I'm just...so confused, Allen..." she murmured, shaking her head slightly while trying to fight the tears as they came. Allen leaned out of the chair beside the bed and turned to sit on the edge of the bed instead, gently clasping Hitomi's hands within his own. She blushed slightly, looking up at him.  
  
"No matter what, Hitomi," he began softly, suddenly finding the words so much harder to say, "I will always..."  
  
"What?" she whispered, a deep longing in the depths of her eyes, "Tell me..."  
  
"Hitomi, you're awake!" came Elmine's voice from the doorway as she walked in with a fresh vial of salve in her hand. Allen let out a breath and couldn't help but chuckle slightly from the ironic timing of her entrance, and he sat a little further back on the bed to allow Elmine to come close and reapply the slave to Hitomi's arm. "How do you feel, dear?"  
  
"Better," Hitomi admitted, "My arm doesn't hurt so badly anymore...I'm just terribly confused..."  
  
"I can only imagine so," the older woman began gently with sympathy in her eyes, before there came a knock at the door in the other room, and frowning slightly, she excused herself to answer it.  
  
"I wonder what Van would think of this," Hitomi said, suddenly looking upset again, "Or Gaddeth, or Celena...anyone...will they think me even more a curse on the world than I am now?"  
  
"You're no curse, Hitomi," Allen murmured, shaking his head, "You've only been a blessing to me..."  
  
This surprised Hitomi a bit, and she spoke as her heartbeat sped up a little, "A blessing? Me...?"  
  
He moved closer to her, gazing deeply into her eyes in all seriousness, watching the pink rising back into her cheeks, and he smiled at it. "What I was going to say earlier," he began, lifting a hand to gently caress her cheek, "Is that no matter what, I will always love you..."  
  
Hitomi's eyes watered a bit at this declaration, and she couldn't keep a smile from her face. "Oh, Allen..." she whispered, "I love you too...I always have..."  
  
He didn't need any more persuasion than that, he leaned forward and gently caught her lips with his own. She returned his kiss as softly as it was being received, and a tear slid from her eye. For the first time since leaving Gaea those three years ago, she was truly happy.  
  
~~  
  
Elmine couldn't help but smile, having caught the scene from the small crack in the doorway, and she turned to the girl who had knocked at her door. Another stranger; she was tall and lithe, long shimmering raven hair swept back into a low ponytail, and bright green eyes sparkling with life. She was young, yet looked a little older than Hitomi. She wore a simple outfit - a pair of black pants and a loose-fitting dark blue shirt, and a sheathe fitted with a beautiful sword looped about her waist.  
  
The girl rose an eyebrow slightly as if to question Elmine's hesitance to let her go speak with Allen and Hitomi, but said nothing.  
  
"Let's give them a little time, dear," Elmine said quietly, still smiling in happiness for the new couple, "Come here and I'll make you some tea. What is your name, dear?"  
  
The girl seemed to hesitate for a moment, then took a breath in and spoke, "Saria. My name is Saria."  
  
"What a lovely name," Elmine responded, "Come in and get comfortable, Saria."  
  
Smiling slightly from the woman's warm hospitality, Saria walked fully inside, glad that she had found the right place. Speaking with Allen and Hitomi could wait, but not for long...  
  
--- 


	12. Chapter 12: A Small Proposition

Summary: The new arrival has a proposal to offer to Allen and HitomiÉ  
  
---  
  
Allen and Hitomi were still in their tender embrace when Elmine gently knocked on the door, and let herself in a bit timidly.  
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "But there's someone here to see you, and she's getting a little impatient..."  
  
"To see us? Who is it?" Hitomi asked, curiously, though reluctant to leave Allen's comforting arms.  
  
"My name is Saria," came another feminine voice as the door opened once more, revealing the raven-haired girl Elmine had welcomed into her home. She walked inside with a no-nonsense attitude, folding her arms across her chest as she stood at a stance a few paces away from Allen and Hitomi. For a moment she said nothing, then she looked directly at Hitomi and nodded a bit, her expression seeming one of controlled sympathy. "Are you all right?" she asked, a sculpted eyebrow arching slightly.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," Hitomi replied, a bit confused by the girl, "I'm sorry, Saria, but...do we know you?"  
  
"Not directly," Saria said, but didn't give them the chance to ask if there was an indirect manner in which they knew each other as she continued, "You seemed to be in a pretty bad situation back there, in Palas. I didn't want to see you die on that stake..."  
  
Hitomi and Allen shared a glance, then looked back to Saria in surprise. "You're the one who broke her bonds?" Allen asked, his intrigue apparent on his voice.  
  
Saria nodded slightly, something almost like an amused smirk on her naturally ruby-tinted lips. "Yeah, that was me. Didn't think I was a girl, did you, Allen?"  
  
Allen rose an eyebrow, now made slightly wary by the raven-haired girl before them. "How did you know my name?"  
  
"Like I said," Saria spoke evenly, "We don't know each other directly. We have...a mutual acquaintance, let's say. It's through him that I know about you guys."  
  
"Who?" Hitomi asked, more curious than wary of her, since Saria seemed to be a good person as far as she could tell.  
  
"Van. It's kind of a long story that I'm not going to get into right now, but we've known each other since we were little kids. Anyhow, that's not the point," Saria continued, her voice seeming to take on an edge of determination, "Look, I saw what happened to you through the window, Hitomi. I know you're a Draconian...which is why you can't run from Aquaria. Together, you and Van can unlock the power of Atlantis, don't you understand?"  
  
Both Allen and Hitomi seemed to flinch slightly from the term 'together', but Hitomi spoke up, "I don't even understand my own self right now...how can I possibly help?"  
  
"That's why you have to come with me...I've sent word for Van to meet us in my hometown, Lassenia. You'll be safe there, I promise you...no one will try to hurt you. There, we can find out more about all this, and I'm sure Van can help you to understand yourself better. Please...if we do nothing, the world will fall to this demon menace. Will you come with me?" Saria pleaded, dark forest eyes imploring.  
  
Hitomi and Allen exchanged a glance, and tried to read each other's expressions. They were both concerned, Hitomi slightly more so, it seemed...but Allen seemed to understand that this was something they needed to do. Without a word, he gently stroked her cheek, reassuring her that he would be there for her no matter what the cost. She nodded slightly, leaning into his touch, almost seeming to read his thoughts. After a moment, she turned back to Saria and spoke quietly, "Yes...we'll come with you."  
  
~~  
  
Not too much longer after, they were mounted on horseback, Saria on her own beautiful dark chocolate-shaded stallion. With a few parting words with Elmine and a couple of small packages for them to take along, they were off, riding swiftly towards the quickly dimming horizon.  
  
"Allen..." Hitomi murmured in the beginning of a question, her arms around his waist tightening slightly.  
  
"You're wondering if we can trust her, aren't you..." he spoke gently back, resting a hand on top of hers clasped around his waist. She nodded slightly against his back, and he gave a soft sigh. "I don't know what other option we have, Hitomi...it wouldn't have been long before the soldiers of Asturia found you there...Lassenia is a sovereign nation, and therefore Asturia has no power within its bounds...she was right about one thing, at least; you will be safe there."  
  
"And what if Aquaria follows?" she asked, feeling her heart sink, "What if she follows me there and destroys everything?"  
  
He gave a gentle squeeze to her hands, trying in some way to soothe her fears. "Hitomi...save these worries for a later time...just know that I'll protect you with every ounce of my strength. I'll never surrender you to her..."  
  
Hitomi couldn't help but smile at his words, and she softly hugged him from her position behind him. Almost too quietly to be heard, she said, "I love you, Allen..."  
  
"And I you, dearest Hitomi."  
  
---  
  
Author's Notes: Okay, I know, short chapter...and late at that. x.x;; I'll try to get something better up soon, I've just been so busy lately! Thanks! ^^;; 


	13. Chapter 13: Arrival

Summary: The trio arrives in Lassenia, where Allen and Hitomi receive a few surprises...

---

The landscape gave way from plains to mountains as the trio continued to ride through the early afternoon. Still the grass was green, but it didn't grow as lushly, and seemed crisp as heavy hooves stepped upon it. The majestic mountains were snow-capped and almost seem to shimmer with a light of their own against the blue skies in the midday sun.

Soon enough, a beautiful white city came into view, tucked securely against the side of one of the mountains, and on the other side rested a deep blue lake.

"Welcome to Lassenia," Saria spoke over her should with a slight grin as they rose up to and passed through the gates of the city at a relaxed trot. By sight, it was very much similar to Asturia's capital city; marketplaces, white buildings, and a beautiful castle in the distance; but somehow the atmosphere was different.

Hitomi noted that it was far more tranquil here, as she took in a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. The people of the city were relaxed, not crowding through the marketplace as she had grown so accustomed to. She smiled; this could be a place she could grow to love.

"We'll go to the castle...quietly, if you don't mind," Saria said, slowing her horse down to walk side-by-side with Allen and Hitomi's, "I'd like to not be seen."

"Why not?" Hitomi asked, confused.

"I've got my reasons," the raven-haired girl responded, a rather solemn look in her eyes. Knowing not to pry at this point, Hitomi only nodded. "I know a back way in," she continued, "So let's go there."

"Should we really be breaking into the castle?" Allen asked with a slight edge to his voice, seeming to reflect a mild distrust in Saria and her motives.

Saria looked at the blonde man defiantly, looking almost insulted. "Didn't I say I had my reasons? We're not 'breaking in'. We're just making a quiet entrance."

"What place do you have in the castle at all?" he continued, not backing down. If he was going to ever trust her, he wanted to know the full story.

"Fine," she said with a frown, "Don't trust me, even though I saved your girlfriend's life. We'll go through the front, and you'll get your answers...at my expense." With that final comment made in extreme distaste, as though she were imagining some scene that lay in store for her, she urged her horse forward faster, not giving Allen the opportunity to retort.

For a moment, he regretted his short temper, but a soft squeeze from Hitomi's arms around his waist reassured him that he hadn't been out of line. With a light kick to the steed's flank, he followed Saria up to the main gates of the castle.

Standing on patrol were two helmeted guards, one on either side of the gate. As Saria rode up, the one on the right took a step forward, and a chuckle began to emanate from within the helmet from the hidden face. With a heavy sigh, Saria shook her head and muttered, "I was hoping you weren't on duty today..."

The amused guard reached up and removed the helmet, letting a thick mass of long, vermilion hair to tumble down along the shoulders, and framing the delicate yet angular, milky white, feminine face. Both Allen and Hitomi were surprised; neither of them had met a female guard!

"Just your luck, isn't it, Saria," the red-haired beauty proclaimed with an amused smirk, her laser-blue eyes cast up at Saria. She spoke with a slight accent, one that Hitomi would have pinned as vaguely British, had they been on Earth... "May I ask," she continued with a quick glance at the other pair before reverting her gaze to Saria, "What have you been doing gone for so long, _Princess_?"

Allen and Hitomi, receiving their second surprise of the day, turned to look at Saria in surprise. "Princess?" Hitomi said, "You're the princess of this country?"

"Don't rub it in," Saria said dryly, glaring at the red-haired guard in annoyance, "Cut the crap, Kara, we're going in."

"Of course," the red-haired woman, Kara, replied sarcastically as she stepped aside, "I would _never_ stand in your way, Princess. Your mother, however, may feel differently." The smirk that went along with those words bordered on malicious. "You've kept your guest waiting."

"Van is here? Good. Come on, you two," Saria said briskly, dismounting and unceremoniously shoving the reins of the horse into Kara's hands, saying coldly, "Take care of this, Mistral."

Laser-blue eyes burned into emerald green as Kara stared wordlessly and just as coldly back at Saria. Nervously, Hitomi quickly dismounted and walked over to them, though keeping a pace or two away. "Saria," she said quickly, "Shouldn't we get inside?"

After a moment, Saria pulled her hateful gaze from Kara, and relaxed slightly as she looked at Hitomi with a nod. "Yes, let's go. Follow me," she said, brushing past Kara without so much as another glance.

Smirking again, Kara came around and took the reins of the other horse as Allen dismounted as well. He seemed as though he had something to say, but she cut him off as she turned her back and began to lead the steeds away, calling over her shoulder, "You'd better hurry, prettyboy, or you'll get left behind."

~~

Saria lead Allen and Hitomi through several amazingly beautiful halls in the castle, though for the most part, her gaze stayed pinned to the floor, as though something was troubling her.

"Is something wrong Sar--er, I mean, your Highness?" Hitomi fumbled the words awkwardly for a moment, not sure what was appropriate with her now.

The raven-haired princess chuckled derisively, shaking her head. "Please," she said, "Just call me Saria. I hate the formalities. Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"All right," Hitomi replied in a way that said she didn't really believe that was true.

"When we get to the throne room, wait outside for a couple of minutes," she continued, either not noticing or choosing to ignore Hitomi's uncertain tone, "I need to speak with my mother. After that, we'll find Van and we'll figure all of this out."

"Did you run away?" Allen spoke up, trying to sort through the recent events, "Is that why you didn't want to come through the main entrance?"

"Sort of," Saria admitted with a sigh, "But I didn't run away, exactly. I just...was out for a bit. My mother doesn't understand...I feel trapped. I need to get away from here sometimes..." She sighed again, deeper this time, and shook her head slightly. "There's a lot more to it than that, but I'm not going to get into it. Let's just leave it at, in case she asks, I left to find you two."

Before long, they reached the throne room, and Saria excused herself to go speak with her mother, the Queen Arianna of Lassenia. Alone in the hallway, Allen and Hitomi spoke to each other of their concerns surrounding the entire situation, and attempted to somehow sort through everything that had happened in such a short period of time, to little avail.

Almost silently, a figure passed across the perpendicular hallway; only a flash of red in Hitomi's peripheral vision made her turn to see where the motion came from. It was Kara, Hitomi knew, as she recognized the woman's face, but now she was out of uniform and wearing a black sleeveless jumpsuit. Rather than thinking that her attire seemed odd and out of place in a grand palace, Hitomi's attention was drawn to a large tattoo, a symbol she somehow recognized, on Kara's toned upper arm. Just as the red-haired woman passed out of Hitomi's sight, she gasped, suddenly remembering where she had seen that symbol before.

"Hitomi?" Allen asked, raising an eyebrow, as he had watched Kara pass by as well, "What is it?"

"Zaibach," she whispered, "She used to work for Zaibach."

---

Author's Notes: Okay, longer chapter this time! XD And I promise, I'm done with the bringing in of new characters, at least for a while. ^^;; These two will serve -much- purpose in this story, I promise you that. And the next chapter, as fair warning Ð it's going to be goofy. And probably laden with innuendo. I do have the PG-13 rating for a reason. XD

Sakura Shinguji-Albatou - It actually wasn't Zelda I got the name Saria from. ^^; I am a Zelda fan, however, yes. XD


	14. Chapter 14: Diversions

Summary: A moment of peace, as Saria hosts a small banquet. Vino has some interesting effects. And during this time, Dilandau makes a startling discovery...

---

Saria didn't come out of the throne room for some time, but when she finally did, she looked emotionally deflated.

Following her now was an older woman, as regal as Hitomi had ever seen. Her black hair, only just beginning to grey, was swept back into a tight bun that rested just behind the small silver crown she wore.

On instinct before royalty, Allen knelt before the queen, lowering his head humbly. Awkwardly, Hitomi attempted a small curtsey, as she wasn't entirely sure of what to do in these situations. A stifled chuckle from Saria made Hitomi blush slightly, but the amused girl was shut up quickly with a cold glare from her mother.

"I offer you a warm welcome, Allen Schezar and Hitomi Kanzaki," the queen spoke in a smooth alto, deep grey eyes turning back from Saria to the pair, "Word of your trials has reached these borders. Be not afraid, young girl from the Illusionary Moon...you are safe within this city's walls."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Hitomi responded timidly, finding herself rather intimidated by the woman's strong presence. She could not, however, believe that she was safe anywhere so long as Aquaria roamed freely.

She was surprised by a touch on her face as the queen lifted her chin to look into her eyes. The woman's expression warmed considerably when she spoke, "Dear child...I do not fear this demon threat."

_You should_, Hitomi thought bleakly, though she said nothing.

"Your friend arrived late last night," she continued with a smile, "My daughter will take you to one of our banquet halls; I'll send word for him to meet you there." Allen and Hitomi both thanked her graciously as Saria walked past them, out to one of the main hallways.

"This way, you guys," Saria called, not turning to face them. Hitomi looked at her oddly for a moment, but she couldn't help but notice the tension between the queen and her daughter...she glanced at Allen, and his look told her that he was thinking the same thing. Saria's expression changed then, only slightly, but enough to be noticed...Hitomi could only describe it as her way of asking, if not pleading them not to ask any more of the subject. "Come on," she said quickly, starting to walk down the hallway, "We don't want to keep Van waiting."

This time, the pair followed, quietly. Unconsciously, Hitomi's hand found Allen's, and their fingers laced gently together.

Saria led them through several grand halls, eventually coming to a set of heavy oak doors. Allen had moved forward on instinct to open the door for her, only thinking to be chivalrous, but a quick glare from Saria cut him off as she reached for the handles of the doors and swung them open grandly, as though to make a point.

"I don't need your help with this, Allen Schezar," the princess spoke shortly, not bothering to look at him as she strode into the banquet hall, "I can do things for myself. Unlike the flocks of women I'm sure you've courted, I don't respond well to chivalry."

That last comment made him flinch slightly, as though the words had stung him, though he quickly regained his composure, and gave a respectable nod. "I apologize," he said quietly, his eyes cast slightly to the side.

For a moment, Saria felt slightly guilty; just from looking at the pair, she could tell she had struck a nerve. The hold between their hands had tightened noticeably, and a bit of pain was visible in both their expressions, as though they were recalling past wounds.

She was about to apologize when another voice came across the room, one that familiar to them, "Princess Lassen, Hitomi, Allen, I'm glad you've made it."

Saria grinned at this and spun to face Van, who was making his way over to the small group. "Don't you dare call me that, Fanel!" she called as she put a hand on her hip, "You know I hate it!"

"You two know each other?" Hitomi asked with a bit of surprise, raising her eyebrow slightly at the two of them.

The pair shared a grin, and Van answered, "Yeah, we've known each other since we were young...you see, Fanelia and Lassenia are sister cities. A lot of business has been done between them, so we were kind of forced to get to know each other."

Saria laughed, giving Van a playful smack across the back of his head. "Like you've ever had a better friend! Come on, you two...the cooks have really outdone themselves this time, I don't know how we're ever going to eat all this food..." She glanced over at the long tables in the center of the room, which were completely covered in all sorts of exotic and delicious-looking foods, and laughed again. "I told them to be creative, but I think they went a little overboard...!"

Allen, having gained back his confidence, looked to Hitomi at his side and gave a slight grin, nodding his head at the tables, "Shall we get something to eat, Hitomi?"

She returned the smile, nodding as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's!"

Unseen to them as they made their way to the tables, Van shot an angry glare at their clasped hands. Saria noticed this and raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything on the subject as she grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him over to the tables as well. "Come on," she said with a grin, "No use letting all this food go to waste."

They took their seats at the table, and stared for a moment in awe of how much there was in front of them. "Don't worry about wasting all of it," Saria said, grinning at the expressions on their faces, "Whatever we don't finish, the cooks and hand servants eat, so...it's really not a waste at all." With this, she stood and took one of the several bottles lined up on beside a platter of what Hitomi would describe as a cross between a turkey and pig. She pulled out the cork with a sort of skilled grace and took a quick sniff from the mouth of the bottle, then smiled approvingly. "Lassenia is known for having some of the best vino in all of Gaea," she spoke as she walked around, filling Van's glass first, then Allen's, then Hitomi's, then coming back to her own. "There's plenty here, so drink up!"

Hitomi lifted the glass and peered into the dark maroon liquid with a bit of skepticism...after all, the last time she had drunk vino wasn't an altogether pleasant experience. Then again, that had been because of Aquaria, not the vino...she took a sniff, similar to Saria, and smiled a bit from the scent. It was tempting...

"Something wrong, HItomi?" Allen asked before taking a sip from his own glass.

"No, nothing," she replied as she followed his example and took a long sip from the glass. Her eyes closed as the taste of it spread through her senses and she smiled again. When she lifted the glass to her lips again, she drank more earnestly.

For a while, they simply sat and talked of meaningless things, enjoying the food and drink that had been provided to them. Before they knew it, three of the bottles of vino had been emptied.

"I...forgot how good this stuff was," Saria spoke with a lopsided grin and a slight slur to her words as she looked into her half-empty glass before bursting into laughter for no apparent reason.

Allen saw this and raised an eyebrow, though speaking to Hitomi when he said quietly, "It looks as though someone's had a little too much..."

In reply, Hitomi hiccuped softly and grinned.

"...and that someone is you, dear Hitomi," he added with an amused chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

"I have not!" she said, still grinning, "Not...had too much. I'm fine!" Another hiccup followed, and she giggled.

Allen scanned his present company briefly, noting that Saria was still laughing, and Van was slightly flushed but silent with a lopsided grin of his own. "I do believe I'm the only one not intoxicated in this room," he stated more to himself than anyone else, his amusement carried on his voice.

"Allen?" came Hitomi's voice, soft and sweet. He turned to her to see her emerald eyes cast up to him rather cutely, as though she were about to request something.

"Yes, Hitomi?"

She scooted her chair a little closer to him, somehow able to keep her balance, and she spoke again, "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Allen was beginning to see the danger in this; at all costs he had to remember that she was drunk, and not in her right state of mind. "You're beautiful," he said gently, and added, as though to remind himself, "And very, very drunk..."

Another scoot and Hitomi was sitting even closer, so he could see now that she was blushing slightly. "Allen? Will you kiss me?"

It was an innocent enough request, Allen thought. Still, he would take the safe route. He leaned over and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead and pulled back.

"No, silly," Hitomi giggled, shaking her head, "A real kiss!"

He bit his lip slightly, torn. Oh, how he wanted to kiss her...but in this state, it just wasn't right..._don't take advantage of her drunk state_, he repeated in his mind.

"Please?"

It was said so cutely, he couldn't resist it. "Oh, all right," he relinquished, leaning over once again to place a soft kiss on her lips. He let it linger for a moment before leaning back again.

Hitomi was grinning again now, nodding slightly. "That was good," she said, a mischievious sparkle lighting in her eyes as she stood up, and relocated her seat to Allen's lap. He barely had a moment to protest before she said quietly, "But I meant like this." With that, she seized her opportunity and leaned in quickly, pressing her mouth to his. 

Her tongue fluttered lightly against his bottom lip before passing beyond to stroke softly, timidly against his. He was caught so off guard that he could barely move, and he felt a heat rising into his cheeks.

_So soft..._

Hitomi's hand slid gently back through his hair, as if to urge him to be more responsive. His hands shook helplessly, not knowing what to do. Every nerve in his body screamed; he wanted this, he wanted more, but he knew it would be wrong...

_She's drunk, she's drunk..._

Though every one of his instincts went against it, he gently pulled her back from his, breaking the passionate kiss. "No," he managed to murmur, shaking his head slightly, "I can't, Hitomi...you're...you're not yourself right now..."

She pouted slightly, but curled up a bit in his lap and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Oh, all right," she relinquished softly, nuzzling into him, "Maybe I am a little off...but just hold me...okay?"

Allen sighed softly to relax himself, feeling his muscles loosen from being so tense, and he gently wrapped his arms around her, murmuring with a bit of good humor, "That I can do, Hitomi..."

A moment of silence passed before she giggled softly, noting, "Your heart is racing, Allen." To this, he only smiled slightly, and closed his eyes, resting his head against hers.

~~

"Dilandau," Aquaria intoned melodically as she reclined against the roof of one of the castle's tall towers, looking down into the windows of the banquet hall across the way. "Amuse me. Wreak havoc on them, dear soldier..." A small smirk lighted her ruby lips as she turned her gaze to the silver-haired pyromaniac beside her, who returned the amused grin.

"Thank you, Aquaria-sama," he spoke before leaping gracefully down from the roof to the balcony below. He glanced up to the demon woman one more time before slipping stealthily into the room, staying close to the walls and in the shadows as he began his trek down the hallways to the banquet hall. With every step, his resolve to murder the lot of them grew, and a grin on his pallid lips became more and more demented.

When he peered around the corner, however, the grin immediately disappeared as his eyes widened in pure shock.

Sitting in a small window alcove further down the hall was the beautiful red-haired guard.

"Kara..." he breathed.

---

Author's Notes: I apologize for this chapter being so late! I've been so busy lately! ^^;;;


	15. Chapter 15: Reunion at Nightfall

Summary: Alliances are called into question as Dilandau's past rushes up to meet him head-on...  
  
---  
  
It seemed an eternity that Dilandau stared, dumbstruck, at Kara, still hidden by the shadows so she couldn't see him.  
  
She was humming lightly, sitting casually in the stone windowseat, her laser-blue eyes cast upward to the sky. There was something in her expression Dilandau couldn't place. Was it longing? Disappointment?  
  
"I hate this place," she muttered to herself, running her slender ivory fingers back through her long, thick vermilion hair, scowling as they caught against a knot in the back. She pulled the small rat's nest around her shoulder and started to untangle it with both hands. "Just my damned luck that I should be stranded here," she continued, almost too low to be heard by Dilandau, "Things were better before."  
  
Finally, Dilandau felt a swell of courage, and he walked out from the hallway, and rather briskly called out, "Kara. Kara Mistral..."  
  
The red-haired beauty leapt to her feet, smoothly drawing the sword from the sheathe hung lightly around her waist. For a moment, she simply stood there, sword aimed at the impossible figure in her vision. Her eyes were wide, in shock and a touch of fear.  
  
"You can't be here," she said, gripping her blade tighter, "No. You're dead. You've been dead for three years."  
  
"It's difficult to explain," he replied, taking a couple of steps towards her, "But I'm not dead. I was, but I'm not any longer." He stopped a few paces away from her; he knew she wouldn't strike him, yet he didn't want to take any chances. She had never taken well to mental stress...  
  
"Prove it," Kara snapped, eyes narrowing dangerously, "Prove that you are who you seem to be."  
  
Dilandau chuckled and showed a grin at her reaction, shaking his head slightly. "You're as stubborn as you ever were, Kara. How would you have me prove my existence? Strip you naked and take you right here in the hallway?"  
  
This made her lower her blade and caused her expression to ease. Her voice softened, she spoke again, "Dilandau...it's really you, isn't it..."  
  
"I'm as real as you are, love."  
  
The blade was dropped to the ground, and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders in such a forceful embrace, he stumbled back a couple of steps. After a moment, he returned the hold, turning his face into her hair and taking a deep breath. Her scent was so familiar to him; he had come to know it well...  
  
As they wordlessly held each other, their time from almost four years prior came back to them, every small detail, every moment...  
  
--  
  
They had met, and to say that they got along in the least would be a grievous lie. He hated her, and she hated him alike - they were each other's equals and opposites. He, a brutal and vengeful commander; she, a cunning and very subtle warrior.  
  
Perhaps it was because she was the only soldier who had ever challenged him that he despised her, yet he couldn't deny his fascination.  
  
Though, as any two people on the same side of a battle would, they eventually managed to see beyond their differences at least enough to tolerate each other. They in fact had a lot in common - she was an orphan, and he had no parents that he could remember. They both looked upon the Dragonslayers as brothers, though Dilandau was far more reluctant to admit it. They both quite enjoyed vino.  
  
That last part actually had a good deal to do with their relationship being pushed from friendship to being lovers.  
  
It was an odd love, not one that would be found in a fairy story. It consisted primarily of heat, primal lust, and a fair amount of sex-related injuries. Despite this, however, their bond became as strong as any romantic couple's.  
  
It was the arrival of the girl from the Mystic Moon that began their downturn.  
  
Their relationship had remained strong, but the war was beginning to test that strength. More and more, Dilandau and the Dragonslayers were pulled out of ranks to fight, while Kara and the other soldiers were left behind on the Vione.  
  
When the Dragonslayers had been killed, and Dilandau became increasingly reclusive, Kara swore vengeance upon the one who had done it, the White Dragon, Van Slanzar de Fanel of Fanelia.  
  
It wasn't much later that Dilandau seemed to simply disappear. It marked the end of the war, the end of Zaibach.  
  
Kara had searched all over for Dilandau but found nothing. Eventually, as terribly as it hurt her, she resigned herself to the apparent fact that he had died.  
  
She roamed for a long while after this, and became a rogue. Every so often she considered a trek to Fanelia, to assassinate the king for his crimes against Zaibach and her own heart...but she found herself back in Catori, the capital city of Lassenia...her hometown. Seeing no real reason to be stealthy, she thieved openly in the marketplaces; only luck kept her from being caught. It was as though she was mocking Fate itself, daring it to strike her down if it so desired.  
  
Luck only lasted for so long, however. When she attempted to steal a sword from one of the many small shops in the main marketplace, she was caught and linked to the other thefts that she had committed. She was taken before the Queen Arianna and her daughter, the Princess Saria, for judgment.  
  
Arianna had immediately suggested a prison sentence, but Saria had intervened, as she often did when it came to her mother's suggestions.  
  
"She's strong. We can keep her here as a worker...she'll work off her debts," the raven-haired princess told her mother, who reluctantly agreed.  
  
"I won't work for you," Kara had declared with a sneer, "You forget that I was a soldier of the elite Zaibach Empire...I'd rather take a jail cell, thanks."  
  
Saria had glared sharply at Kara with that comment, with almost a hint of pleading to just take the lighter punishment. Arianna had also become cross, speaking again with more authority, "You'll do exactly as you're told, or you'll be exiled, and I'll see to it that no other country will take you in."  
  
After a long moment of deliberation, she finally agreed to work in the castle, but only as a guard - not a servant. Thus began her long, tedious process to pay her debts to the city.  
  
--  
  
"This can't be real," Kara still repeated, pressing her face into Dilandau's neck as if to confirm he was actually there, "I must be dreaming."  
  
"It's no dream," Dilandau replied with a slight grin, "And I'm more than willing to prove it."  
  
She pulled back slightly, a devious grin spreading on her lips before she gave a mock-exasperated sigh and pushed him away, before brushing past him and walking down the hall a short way before coming to a heavy wooden door on the left side. She opened it slightly as she called over her shoulder, "Well, all right, come on then." That grin had returned as she cast a sultry look over her shoulder and adding, "But afterwards, you have some explaining to do."  
  
And there in that tiny room in the grand palace of Lassenia; unbeknownst to the rest of the castle(except to a couple of the servants who had unfortunately passed by), the city, the country, or the rest of the world; Dilandau Albatou and Kara Mistral were reunited and became one once again.   
  
--  
  
In the banquet hall, the effects of the vino had finally worn off, and the group got down to business.  
  
"Here's the deal," Saria said, looking at Van and Hitomi, "You're both Draconian...so if we were somehow able to reach Atlantis, you'd probably be able to tap into its power to help us get rid of this demon Aquaria, right? It's obvious that our weapons will be useless against her..."  
  
"It can't be that easy," Hitomi replied, shaking her head slightly, "I don't know the first thing about any of this...even if we did get into Atlantis, which I can't figure out how we would, how would we harness its power?"  
  
"Well, Hitomi," Van said, looking to her, "You've always had odd powers that the rest of us don't have. Who knows what you're actually capable of?"  
  
She didn't say any more, and Allen immediately noted the expression on her face was one of frustration and of a deeper melancholy. He spoke up before any more questions could be asked of her, "It's grown late...and we've traveled far. Perhaps we should rest for the night, and speak of this in lighter hours..." At this, Hitomi gave him an appreciative look.  
  
Saria glanced out one of the large windows in the room and nodded slightly. "You're right," she said, standing from her seat, "It's been a long day for all of us, I'm sure. Van, Hitomi, Allen, rooms have been prepared for you. One of my servants will show you the way."  
  
She motioned to a young man at the doorway, who bowed slightly and beckoned the trio to him. "This way, if you please."  
  
The servant led them down one of the grander hallways, and indicated three rooms, one to the right, and two to the left. "These are our finest guest quarters - if you require anything, please don't hesitate to call on one of us."  
  
--  
  
Hitomi sat on the edge of the bed in the large, beautifully decorated room, but she found she couldn't make herself comfortable. For some reason, this night of all nights, she felt utterly alone.  
  
Slipping a silver robe that had been hanging up beside the bed over her plain, long white nightshirt, she blew out the candle on the nightstand, and quietly opened the door to the room. She glanced about the hallway to make sure no one was around, quickly walked to the door of Allen's room, and knocked lightly.  
  
When there was no response, she knocked just a little harder, and was relieved to hear motion from inside before the door was opened, revealing Allen wearing a robe similar to the one that had been provided to her.  
  
"Hitomi?" he asked, concern apparent in his voice as he took a step aside to let her in, "Come inside...is everything all right?"  
  
She walked into the room and he quietly closed the door behind her, before coming to her and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Before she said a word, she turned to face him and closed the distance between them, looping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. He returned the embrace, softly stroking her hair with one hand while the other came about her shoulders and held her close.  
  
"I just...felt alone in there," she whispered, "I didn't...I don't want to be alone tonight."  
  
"You can stay here if you wish," he offered gently, smiling lightly down at her.  
  
She returned the small smile and nodded slightly. "I'd like that..."  
  
Without much more than that, they both crawled into the bed, which was more than large enough to accommodate them. She turned on her side with her back facing him, and he curled up against her from behind, wrapping his arm loosely about her waist and resting his face gently in the crook between her neck and shoulder. For a moment, the thought of how perfectly they fit together like this passed through both of their minds, before they succumbed to sleep, in the warm glow of the candlelight.  
  
---  
  
Author's Notes: I know I'm going to get majorly flamed for the Dilandau/Kara relationship XD But with all the fics out there pairing him with his own Dragonslayers(which I don't necessarily mind XD), I thought it'd be nice to have him in a -het- relationship for once. XD For those who absolutely despise the thought - don't worry! I won't be focusing on it -too- much. ;; 


End file.
